Ranma of the Dancing Gods
by borg rabbit
Summary: AU continuation RotDG. Yet another shape changing curse for Ranma. New chapter 'Tenchi's Daughter'
1. Prologue

I don't own anything by Rumiko Takahashi or Jack Chalker. Their character's are just borrowed.

Ranma of the Dancing Gods: Prolog

Joe and Marge watched the portal dissipate, locking them away from their friends. Marge said, "I don't think we're home, this is a different universe. My link to the earth mother is different." "Well, let's see if we can find any one to help us get back. I'll find some clothes to disguise you a little better." Joe found a robe on a clothes line and left a gold piece in its place. Returning, he covered Marge's red kauri form. "The best I can tell, I think we're in Japan. Maybe tonight we can find something out or someone to help us."

After sunset, the moon rose and Joe became a perfect copy of Marge and the two went out on a fact finding mission. The two converged on a house where a lot of male misery abounded. Marge entered the window of what appeared to be a master bedroom and projected the appearance of the man's dead wife into his mind. She went about easing his tortured soul in the unique manner of kauri succubae. Along with the sexual energy, she got information and language skills as well as the nightmares that plagued the man. She was confused by the apparent presence of several were type creatures in the neighborhood according to the man's memories. She kissed the man's cheek and took a small piece of jewelry in payment and left by the window.

Joe landed at another window and peered in to see the source of the raging male misery that called to her kauri form. She was amazed to see a giant panda sleeping by the young man who was her target. Joe carefully deepened the panda's sleep and took the appearance of a young girl with short black hair. The dreamlike quality allowed the boy to give up his virginity, and the problems weighing on his mind, to Joe. As the boy thrashed about at the peak of bliss, a half full glass of water was knocked from a table, splashing him as Joe was carefully nibbling his ear. The transformation took Joe by surprise as what was connecting the two disappeared and she accidentally drew blood from the young, red headed girl's ear. "Oh damn." Joe put Ranma, she now had a name for the young shapeshifter, into a deeper sleep. She wrote a fairly long note describing what to expect and a warning about biting people and placed it on her ample, bare chest. She then looked about for the required payment and saw a red silk shirt hanging in a closet, "That'll do." Joe then flew out of the window, joining Marge in their errand of 'mercy' for the male residents of Nerima.

The two kauri were found at the outskirts of Nerima by a portly wizard and returned to their adopted universe, leaving behind a number of smiling, sleeping male residents and one half girl who had something pleasant to dream about for once. The blind fear of the nekoken had been eased for the time being. She was in for a major shock in the morning when she read the long note on her chest, and a bigger shock when the moon rose the next night.

End prolog

This is a feeler for an idea to add some confusion to the Ranma universe, post failed wedding.

Who should Ranma bite first?

Suggested pairings?

Ranma's default moon change will be to the kauri form that Joe had when she bit her.

Jack Chalker was the supreme writer when the subject of shape changing curses and problems relating to them came up. I may have modified the were virus a little as it has been a long time since I read 'River of the Dancing Gods'…so sorry. If someone better at writing than myself is interested in doing Ranma with a RotDG twist please drop an e-mail.

Ciao,

Wes


	2. Ch1One step forward two steps back

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 1: One step forward two steps back.

* * *

Ranma awoke on her own to see the sun just beginning to cast its warmth across the sky outside the window of the Tendo's guestroom. Her father, the panda was still sleeping soundly. She stretched. 'Man! What a dream. Sure wish me and Akane had gotten married that day. Whoa!' She felt a warmth, like an itch that needed to be scratched, and applied action to thought. She ran her hands up and down her body, luxuriating in the feeling of bare skin… 'Bare skin?' She leapt up, finding her boxer shorts and tank top lying beside the futon as a piece of paper fluttered down in front of her. She quickly dressed, verifying that oyaji was still sound asleep, and picked up the paper. It was addressed to her and, after reading a couple lines of the neat kanji, she jumped through the window and bounced silently to the roof. She sat with her back to a chimney out of sight from the yard and read, hands shaking.

Ranma,

I want to apologize for what I have inadvertently done to you. Last night was not a dream, though it was not your fiancée with you on your futon. I was a kauri at the time. You will likely become very familiar with what it means to be one tonight or tomorrow after moonrise. I am sorry that I won't be there to guide you, so I'll try to leave some advice to help you cope. When you changed into a girl last night, I was surprised and accidentally bit you enough to draw blood. You will now have the same condition that I have, in addition to any others that you already have. You are now a were. Your default shape change will be to a kauri, but if you are touching any living thing when moonlight hits you, you will take that form until daybreak touches you. For your own sanity, don't deny the urges of your kauri form. It is not evil and does much good in the world. It is impervious to age and disease and you can jump into lava and not be harmed. Consider yourself a fairy goddess of sex who feeds on sexual energy and the burdens that weigh on the minds of men. No one has to know what or who you are because you have powers of illusion over men. You can make them think that you are a lost love or the person of their desire. Try to find your world's earth spirit to get cleansed in her fires every so often. In our world she lives in a great caldera filled with lava. She will also give you some good advice. It will make your problems weigh less on your spirit. I myself was born male and have been a long time accepting this, but in accepting my condition have found healing. May you find healing as well. By the way, sorry about taking your male virginity. A last warning, avoid biting anyone, the were virus is passed through biting and there is only one cure and it isn't in your world.

Good luck and good wishes,

Joe the Barbarian

Ranma rolled the paper up and placed it into stuff space.

"Who is the kami that hates me so?" He angrily jumped to the wall of the Tendo compound and watched Akane run out the gate for her morning jog. "I gotta keep this hidden and be careful. Don't want anyone's life to suck like mine." The boy took a few meditative breaths and, when his shuddering eased up, went to the kitchen to see if Kasumi needed any help before he went to the furo.

"Morning Kasumi. Can I help with anything before I clean up?" "Well, if you set the table, I would appreciate it…and thank you Ranma." She smiled a genuine smile that shook the boy out of his depressed state. He gathered dishes, napkins and silverware and went to the dining room with a contemplative smile on his face.

'Poor Ranma, something's bothering him and he's trying to hide it.' Kasumi went about finishing breakfast and the bentos for school lunches. The food for breakfast was placed in the oven to keep it warm. She put the dirty dishes into the sink to soak and wiped down the countertops while humming a half-melancholy half-happy tune she'd heard in a romantic movie. She didn't see the young man watching her at the foot of the stairs. He turned toward the furo with his bathing supplies, shoulders slumped and head down.

Ranma was soaking in the mineral enriched water of the furoba when he heard the outer door open and the sound of someone entering the dressing room caught his ear. "I'm about done in here, give me a couple of minutes!" "Well, hurry up you pervert. I need to get cleaned up and can't wait all day!" He had learned in the most painful way to remain aware of his surroundings after two or three episodes of Akane walking in, even when the 'occupied' sign was up to give a loud verbal warning the instant anyone entered. One time he had installed a bell that would ring when anyone entered, but someone (Nabiki, Soun or Happosai, it didn't matter who) had disabled it several times. This had brought out several malletings and lost weekend training time fixing Ranma shaped holes in floors, walls or ceilings.

A dressed Ranma exited the dressing room to be greeted by an angry Akane. "Well, pervert. What took you so long? Were you staring at your girl side in the mirror? Freak!" She rushed past him as he could only stare, dumbfounded at the door as it slammed shut.

'That's it. I ain't marryin her. I ain't marryin Shampoo, Ukyo or Kodachi and 'tater wacky can go straight to hell. I'm human. When I get cut, I bleed. I'll go crazy and hurt someone if I don't get some relief!' At the entrance to the kitchen, Kasumi watched the one-sided exchange of venom between Ranma and Akane and felt her heart break. It was time to do something and she wouldn't put it off any longer.

Breakfast went as usual, with one exception. Ranma seemed rather introspective, giving only yes, no and non-committal answers to the family members present. Akane went at Ranma with shrewish intensity and stormed out when she was unable to get any answer that she wanted to hear from her fiance. Nabiki watched it all with her studied detachment and casually gathered her and Akane's bentos and walked by Kasumi at the entrance of the kitchen. Nabiki whispered to Kasumi, "You're right, let's fix the mistake we made when he came to us." "I'll talk to father this morning", replied Kasumi, 'I hope its not too late' was her following thought.

Ranma left and the house was quiet, except for the sound of newspaper shuffling and Kasumi cleaning up the remains of breakfast.

* * *

Genma and Nodoka were at their rebuilt home. Nodoka's insurance had finally come through and the rebuilt home allowed her to remove Genma's influence on her son. Last night's stay was the result of late night shogi and sake. Nodoka had come by and with some hot water, had removed the martial artist before breakfast. She had decided that Genma deserved punishment for what he had done to her and Ranma's life, but decided to post pone it until she could give Ranma a sibling. She had been plying him with just enough sake to get him to do the act, though he finished far too quickly to make the pleasure mutual. She was only thirty-seven and she'd heard that twins were more likely past thirty. 'Children!' became a thought competing with 'grandchildren'. Another fertile period was here and her doctor had complimented her on her excellent condition. She might already be expecting and Genma's fall would soon follow.

* * *

When Ranma left the house, he took to the rooftops, leaping house to house with some jumps spanning intersections. He passed above Nabiki quickly and left Akane behind shortly after. He entered an open third floor window and bumped into Ms. Hinako in the hallway. The child-like teacher stood in front of him and gave him a brief scan. "Ranma, I see that you are early today. I'd like to compliment you on how hard you've been working since your absence two months ago. I talked to your other teachers and it looks like you will be in the top quarter of your class going into the summer break. I'm proud of you."

Ranma's spirits lifted a bit. It seemed that all the yen he gave Nabiki for tutoring was paying off. He had had to work as a waitress at a steak house in Juuban Saturday and Sunday nights to pay her. It was worth it, even if he usually got malleted after coming home late. Akane would accuse him of going out to date his 'floozies', even though Nabiki backed him up. Shampoo, Ukyo and Kodachi had given him a couple weeks of respite after the wedding disaster but had started screwing his life up a couple weeks later after paying for their share of damages. Kuno had paid an extreme price for bringing a steel blade to the wedding. The next day Ranma, in girl form, had broken his blade, arms and fingers and hit the ultimate weakness moxibustion point. She told Kuno that Ranma was her brother. If Kuno was a good boy, he might cure the weakness…some day. Ranma shook his head to clear out his rambling thoughts and went into the classroom.

* * *

Kasumi cleared up the dishes and cleaned the mornings mess downstairs, thinking about what she and Nabiki were about to do. Akane's room was the usual untidiness that was quickly taken care of. Nabiki's room was spotless and merely took grabbing the pajamas from the hook for the laundry. Ranma and Genma's room was clean as well. Ranma used a vacuum to keep the black and white fur to a minimum. After starting the morning wash, Kasumi sought out her father who had moved to the garden with his newspaper.

"Father, we need to speak, so please put away your newspaper." "Yes, daughter, is something broken?"

"You could say that, father. I have been watching Akane and how she has been treating Ranma. It has gone far enough. I fear for Ranma's life and fear Akane's anger may spill over against one of us if it goes any longer. Nabiki and I want you to end Akane's engagement and make it a choice between the three of us. In three months, if Ranma and none of us are compatible, then we can dissolve all engagements, with giri being satisfied."

Soun began to sputter, "But what about joining the schools? No I won't countenance anything but what Genma and I have laid out."

"Very well…father. Nabiki graduates in two weeks and the two of us will be moving out to go to college. We have both been accepted to several schools, including Tokyo University and Texas A&M in the United States. Akane can take over your meals and maintaining the house. I will speak to auntie about letting Ranma move in with her to reduce the burden on you and Akane. Also, I recommend getting some students for the dojo since money will be tight for Nabiki and myself, even with our scholarships. I don't think that mother would have approved of what you have allowed to happen and I am doing what I think she would have done in my place."

Soun just stared at Kasumi. After a few minutes his hands began to tremble but only a few tears ran down his cheek. His glazed eyes closed and his brow furrowed as he thought at a furious pace. Kasumi got up and went about cleaning the house. That done, she went to the dojo to practice her adaptation of tai chi. She would give her father a little while to decide.

* * *

That afternoon after school, Soun went around to his daughters and Ranma to ensure that everyone would be present before supper for an important announcement.

Kasumi and Ranma had the dishes and food laid out and everyone was watching a nervous Soun prepare to speak. "Akane, how do you really feel about your engagement to Ranma?"

"I wish that I'd never met the pervert and can never forgive his cheating ways with the fiancée brigade." "Well, if that is truly how you feel, then I absolve you of responsibility to the agreement to the same extent that Nabiki and Kasumi are engaged to Ranma now. Ranma, I spoke with Nodoka-san and we agreed that you have three months to decide who you marry." Kasumi frowned. "…Errr, or if no one wants it, it can be ended with no loss of giri and you will be free to marry whom you wish."

Ranma face faulted so hard that it left a hole in the floor. Akane just stared with a small smile on her face.

A small white cat with bells tied into the hair under its pink ears slunk out of the door to the garden.

Under the house, a short, buck toothed ninja crept away through the shadows.

* * *

Ranma woke to see Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi kneeling beside him. Soun had gone to sit in the garden by the koi pond. Akane spoke first.

"Ranma, I want to apologize for the way I have treated you. I truly did not wish to marry you. The chaos had just become too much and if you could find it in your heart to forgive me…could we start over as just friends? I promise not to mallet you any more, unless you really deserve it. I like the idea of a brother better than a husband."

Ranma reached over and took the glass of water and drank some. He stared at the glass for a moment, lost in thought, and poured it on himself. She then looked at Akane and said, "I can understand ya not wantin ta marry a freak like me, but yeah, I'll be your friend."

All three Tendo girls took Ranma into a light hug as tears ran down four faces. Kasumi spoke softly, "Ranma-kun, when we first met, I am shamed to admit that I was frightened by proof that magic and curses exist. The demands that our fathers made also led me to make a great mistake. We could have done this long ago, avoiding many of our problems. Ranma. If at the end of three months you decide that you want me for your wife, I would be honored to accept. This is not because of honor, but because I love you. And if you don't choose me, I'll always support you as befits a sister of the heart. This, even if you choose none of us." Ranma's tears began to flow in earnest and she could only nod in acceptance.

"What she said," from Nabiki, "I am truly sorry about my part in that screwed up wedding, though I think that it really was for the best that you didn't get married to Akane, no offense little sister. Neither Kasumi nor I see your condition as a curse anymore, you are yourself. By the way, half of what you paid for tutoring and half of the money from the wedding gifts has been put away in a college trust fund for you. All four of us have almost enough for a four-year degree each, if we are careful about where we go and how we spend it. Kasumi will likely need the most, since she wants to be a medical doctor."

"…"

Nabiki looked down at her feet and said, softly, "Ranma, in a few days, you will be moving back in with your Mother. On the weekends would you be willing to date Kasumi and me by turns? You can also date Ukyo and Shampoo. I think that we can get her and the Amazons to agree to your mother's terms. If you wish, you could be free of all of us in three months."

* * *

Kasumi was finishing up with getting the house ready for the next day. Everyone seemed to be asleep, but she felt something disturbing the wa of the house with her own finely honed ki senses. She began to glide silently through the house. All seemed to be sleeping peacefully enough, except for Ranma. His futon was still made up just as she had left it the previous morning and she couldn't sense his presence anywhere in the house. The girl felt an overwhelming sadness and depression in a presence on the roof. It reminded her of Ranma's girl side, but with a roiling complexity that she normally didn't associate with the young Saotome. She silently opened the roof access and heard a sobbing noise on the other side of the chimney. Quietly, "Ranma? Is that you?"

In a voice that was higher in pitch than usual for Ranma's girl side, "S-stay back. Y-y-you don' wanna s-s-ee. I-I-I'm even more a freak now. You'll t-t-think I'm a demon or somethin'."

Kasumi saw that she was making ready to spring away, "Wait Ranma. I'll just stay here. Can we just talk quietly? No one's awake and it's just us, please, tell me what happened and maybe we can deal with it together."

"I-I-I…just thought it was a dream. Last night I thought that Akane had finally declared that she cared about me and we…well, we…we did something that I think may have been perverted. Something that I never done before or thought about. It was the best feelin I ever had. Then I got splashed and Akane bit my ear. Th' next thing I knew was wakin' up in girl form with a letter on my chest and no clothes on."

"The letter was from someone named 'Joe the Barbarian' who said that he had a were curse that had turned him into a kauri. He said that's a sex goddess fairy with powers over men. He…she bit me when I got splashed as we were doin…ya know…it…andIwoundupwithanothercurseandIdon'tknowwhattado."

Kasumi slowly worked out what Ranma had said in the rush of words and said, "Oh my…Ranma. I want you to know that what I said earlier is still true. I love you, no matter what form you take. You also need to remember that I'll listen to you no matter what and help all I can."

Ranma's voice took on a hopeful tone, "Thanks Kas-chan." 'Where did that come from?' "Somethin' else, the letter said somethin' that makes me think I can control what I change inta by touchin' anything living when the moonlight hits me at night. I'd rather turn inta you or a pet or near anything but this! This form has 'urges' that are hard ta ignore an I wanna put off doin that with guys all I can." Kasumi was glad of the dark because she knew that she was having a full body blush. Ranma's kauri sight didn't miss it though, as she peeked around the corner.

Kasumi saw Ranma's bright red skin and glimpsed something strange behind her and momentarily forgot her promise and stepped to the roof. Her foot slid on a loose tile and she fell-ran toward the edge of the second story roof. As she left the edge, she closed her eyes in expectation of the pain at the fall's end. To her amazement she felt herself caught and actually rising. She looked at her savior and looked down and eeped at the dojo's roof over a hundred feet below. "Ranma, thanks for saving me, but please don't overload yourself and drop me." She firmly gripped the smaller girl around the neck while trying not to interfere with the furiously flapping wings.

"Nah. Ya know I won't let ya get hurt if I can help it."

Ranma began to glide toward the roof of the school for some quiet privacy. After landing with a surge of flapping and some stirred up dust, she set Kasumi down and held her steady until her balance returned. The bigger girl looked at Ranma in wonder and let out a heartfelt "Oh my. Ranma, you're beautiful, like one of those western fairies. Can…can I touch your wings?" Ranma's blush couldn't show because of her skin color, but she nodded and kept her eyes downcast. "They are so soft, finer than the best velvet smoother than chamois cloth. Any one that saw you would never call you a demon." Kasumi stood back and took in Ranma's complete appearance. She had lost even more height at about four foot and her body was automatically sexy. Her wings sprang from her back and were settling about her shoulders and body in the fashion of a cloak. Though they were articulated similar to bat wings they actually gave the impression of butterfly wings to the observer because of the design of the dark red and lighter red markings. Ranma-chan's skin was the same color as her hair, fire engine red and covered with the same short, downy hair as was on her wings. Her eyes were the same intense blue as her other forms. (She wasn't an exact copy of Joe's Kauri form, perhaps because of Jusenkyo.) She had a soft red leather bikini top and loin cloth bottom that was almost indistinguishable from her skin.

"But what will Mom say when she finds out? Jeeze, I'm even less a man like this, Kas-chan!"

"Now Ranma. You know that auntie has accepted your transformations. This will just be more of the same, however I agree that hiding it for now might be a good idea, especially with your kauri body's feeding 'requirements'." 'I wonder if she can only feed on men?' Ranma was puzzled at Kasumi's blush. "Let us see what we can find out about this new 'curse' first. If we don't have any luck, we can bring in Nabiki. My sister has always been good at ferreting out little known information, don't you think."

* * *

Over the next month and a half Ranma was on a voyage of self-discovery with the help of Kasumi and, later, Nabiki. Her facefault registered a four point five on the Richter scale at Tokyo U when she saw her identical twin holding her hand one evening. Ranma's comment was, "She took that pretty well." An early discovery was that Jusenkyo wouldn't be denied. Hot and cold water still worked on what ever form Ranma happened to be in. Nabiki was amazed when Ranma used hot water and showed her what she would have looked like if born male. The kauri male form was a five foot one incubus that had any women in the same room swooning and had Ranma almost drunk from feeding on the ambient sexual arousal his form inspired. This one development made a HUGE difference in reducing his depression. He wouldn't have to flit around from male to male for energy and whomever he married could supply his basic needs. Joe would be surprised if they ever met again.

During this time, the Kunos, Ukyo and Shampoo stepped up their own campaigns to marry/kill him. Tatewaki was a particular pest for Akane and very irritating to Ranma because, now that Akane was freed, he only needed to kill Saotome to free the pigtailed goddess.

A trip to the animal shelter resulted in acquiring a loveable medium sized dog that Ranma took an immediate liking to. Yoshi 'hated' cats and pigs. Ranma took to spending evenings with Yoshi in his lap, petting the dog who adored his new master and sometimes playmate. Ranma kept his dog tags and collar under his shirt collar. He carefully avoided biting anything while a dog. Once, though, he made a point of licking himself in front of Akane and immediately jumped up and licked her face. Yoshi took the heat because he was a pervert dog as well as a cat and pig hater. 'Bwah ha hahaha' "Bark bark howl!" as Ranma-dog ran off, remembering how Yoshi became enamored of Akane's leg. Yes, such a good dog.

Nabiki had enlisted the aid of a nerd by the name Miroki from the science club by discussing 'hypothetical' reasons for night time moonlight to cause changes in a biological organism that reversed with daylight. He suggested that the polarized light might do it in the relative absence of daylight and that the ultraviolet light of daylight would be the trigger to reverse it. Nabiki's instincts screamed that he had hit the nail on the head and rewarded him by forgiving his debt and said that his next loan would be interest free. A little experimentation with a polarized light source and a plant-growing lamp then gave Ranma a small degree of control indoors. Plants were placed strategically in the house and dojo with conveniently placed lamps to protect Ranma from unplanned changes indoors. She was getting the engineering class to design portable polarized and uv light sources to let Ranma use the were changes any time it was dark. Nabiki saw the potential and would talk to Ranma when the devices were perfected.

Things were going well. The NWC was less of a headache, Cologne hadn't been around, Shampoo was more insistent but was afraid of Yoshi, Ukyo was satisfied with the new circumstances and both Kunos were beaten soundly when Ranma saw them. He had come to the decision that Kodachi was no lady and preemptive strikes were needed to prevent drugging. Ryoga hadn't been back since Yoshi had scared P-chan so bad he peed himself. Akane was visiting some girl friends at the time. Ranma wondered how a black pig could turn white with fear, but just shrugged his shoulders. The pigtailed martial artist had successfully dated Nabiki, Kasumi, Ukyo and even Shampoo with no party crashers. All of the girls acted with civility. Nodoka had spoken to Ukyo and Shampoo before their dates and Ranma was amazed at how demure and non-aggressive the two were. Then disaster struck…and its name was Happosai.

* * *

Ranma was in the dojo practicing a particularly difficult advanced kata when the plant light popped and went out. He felt the change and spread his wings. Damn damn damnit all to hell! I guess I better go in." As he went into the yard, he glared up at the half crescent moon. "Just a couple more days and I'll be free of 'this' curse for a bit"

At that moment he heard a sound that he did NOT want to hear. "SWEETO! Baby. Come to pappa!" Happosai leapt from the wall, dropping a huge bag full of lingerie to the ground, and clamped onto kauri Ranma's breasts. To Ranma's kauri sight it was as if a black featureless miasma had come to rest on her chest. She started screaming as the blackness streamed into her body. A maelstrom formed around the two as Nabiki, Kasumi and Akane came out and watched. They clamped their hands over their ears as Ranma's screams became more strident and the vortex slowly narrowed. It ended when the last of the blackness was sucked into her body and the two fell apart. Happosai was laying peacefully on the ground and his appearance had taken on a translucent quality. Ranma lay in a fetal position, her wings wrapped tightly around her body as she twitched spasmodically. Black lightning would occasionally pass across her skin in time to the spasms.

"Is that some oni?" queried Akane, her mallet coming and going from existence in her indecision. "No Akane! Get rid of that damn mallet and help get these two into the house." Said Nabiki with worry on her normally calm face.

Ranma was gently laid on the couch. Happosai was thrown into the corner and forgotten. "She's…she's beautiful." Whispered Akane. Kasumi responded, "We know, Akane. And now you will have to help keep her secret. We're lucky Father and uncle are out drinking. Oh my!" She pointed at the plant light, shining brightly, inches from Ranma's unconscious and still winged form.

* * *

Updated 6-8-05


	3. Interlude

Don't own Ranma or anything by Jack chalker. Characters are just borrowed.

**Interlude**

* * *

An old man and a woman of apparent middle age were standing in a garden watching the sunrise over an active volcano. The man was dressed in medieval European style clothing. He was fat. His, for want of a better term, beer gut hung out over spindly legs and his beard almost rested on his paunch. The woman had an ageless quality. Her figure, if revealed would be of a woman in excellent condition, but who had borne many children and appeared to be able to bear many more, if she chose. This was only hinted at in the way her earth brown and green trimmed kimono fit.

She spoke first, and night blooming flowers opened around them at the sound of her voice, "Well, Ruddygore-san, this is the second time that you have graced our realm with your presence within the last few heartbeats. How should I take your visit, the last time, long ago, proved to make for some interesting diversions."

Throckmorton P. Ruddygore took his time in answering. He bowed as low as his paunch would allow, "Boseiai-sama, recently two of my proteges were diverted here and one of them passed on a very untidy condition to an avatar of chaos. However, the form of the were at the transmission point was a kauri, a fairy that promotes order among men. The boy's name is Ranma and he had a previous application of some very powerful wild magic that will interact in unpredictable ways, ways that don't follow the rules where I come from."

Boseiai closed her eyes to search out the subject of their discussion. "I see where this is going. This poor child may be responsible for twisting the tails of several kami, if he or she is handled correctly. By the way, the future kauri of this world may not be limited to dealing with men's nightmares. Oh ho. He can be a true male kauri and not merely a satyr, as in your realm. I'll be glad to claim what serendipity has laid on my plate."

"Yes, the rules of magic here are not as codified as back home. I also trust you to keep the negative impacts to a minimum, since your domain balances chaos and order."

"Ruddygore-san, please excuse me, my new avatar needs me, he has run into an evil that he wasn't ready for."

"Very well, my lady, I need to go back to watch over my own 'children'. Fare well." With that, the two vanished. In the distance Mount Asama exploded, freeing lava to pour down the opposite face. The place of her new avatar's healing had to be prepared. Maybe there would be children someday for her to spoil. Visions of chibi kauri fairies whirled around her head as she translated into the Nerima district.

Happosai groaned quietly, mired in guilt, as memories from his entire life assaulted his mind.


	4. Walking backwards to the fore

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

Boseiai means maternal love, irori means hearth.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 2.1: Moving forward by walking backwards (pointless title)

* * *

Ranma was in hell. The pain was wracking her body, causing painful muscle spasms that were only momentarily relieved when she heard the screams. She knew that they were hers, but she began to feel slightly detached from the pain. The blackness was all around her in a veil that hid her surroundings from her. She felt herself change to a male form and the pain renewed at a new intensity that threatened his very identity. His screaming crescendoed, he coughed up blood from a raw throat. The change back to female came as a relief. The screams became whimpering, then her body finally lapsed into an unstable unconsciousness. Later, a feeling of warmth began to hold the blackness at bay, though it was like a living thing that wished to consume her soul and seemed to seek ways to approach her. Her eyes opened and flames were licking the night sky around her. She realized that she was lying on a bed of coals and, looking around, saw Nabiki and Kasumi, dressed in heavy clothing to protect themselves from the heat, tossing wood and charcoal around her. She spoke, throat raw from screaming rather than the heat, "Kasumi, what's going on?"

* * *

Kasumi saw the light hitting the little kauri and gasped out an "oh my! Ranma's stuck in this form." 

"No duh!" responded Nabiki. "Take a look at Happosai. He's almost transparent after Ranma sucked all the evil and perversity out of him." She picked up the short pervert and tossed him at the other corner of the room, where he settled like a balloon that had lost most of its helium. "It'll serve the little bastard right, if he dies, though it appears that what Ranma did was a blessing for the freak."

"So, what are we going to do?" interjected Akane.

"We are going to do our very best to help Ranma, dear Akane." Said Kasumi with a worried smile.

"Yes, Sister." Added Nabiki with a slightly cold look, "And that means no more mallets. I would hate for you to spend your days in prison for murder. She doesn't look like she could survive even a light punch now. We can put her into Kasumi's room. Right sis?"

"Oh my, that would be a good place. No one but you two go in there, normally, and I fear for what would happen if father or uncle Saotome were to find out about this." Kasumi cradled Ranma into her arms and carried the small fairy up to her bedroom, followed by Nabiki and Akane. "Nabiki, I think that it is time to bring Auntie into this and explain what happened." The middle Tendo nodded and went to the phone.

"Auntie Nodoka, Ranma is in trouble again." "…" "No, its not another of Uncle Genma's fiancée deals, its more magical problems." "…" "No, he, or maybe she is more appropriate, is unconscious and in Kasumi's room. She needs her mother. Please don't bring your katana." "…" "Thank you. Just come on in, and Father and Uncle are out drinking, probably scheming another wedding. Just please come…we all need you." The last was an uncharacteristic sob from the normally calm Nabiki.

Meanwhile, Kasumi was cleaning Ranma up from the events in the yard. Ranma lay on her side, wings tucked behind her and covered by one of Kasumi's sheets. Her face bore a look of horror, frozen at the point of unconsciousness. Akane brought a bowl of warm water and towels and when Kasumi placed the warm wet towel on Ranma's cheek, the transformation occurred. Ranma began screaming in pain and thrashing about while still unconscious until Kasumi splashed him with cold water from a drinking glass. Ranma returned to the quiet state before changing to male form as Kasumi applied some calming shiatsu therapy. She began to cry, "Oh Ranma, I'm so sorry I hurt you." She hugged the kauri form and tried to place her into a more comfortable position in the bed. Nabiki came into the bedroom and hugged Kasumi as she continued to lay, sobbing over Ranma. Akane knelt beside Nabiki and kept her gaze down at her hands, clasped in her lap.

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Nodoka put down the phone and staggered over to the kitchen counter and rested her arms on it, holding her face in her hands. Hot tears splashed to the surface beneath her face and she wailed, "Ohhhh! My poor Ranma, what did you do to deserve such treatment at the hands of your parents and the kami. I never meant harm to come to you from that stupid contract. We'll burn it together, if you'll just give me the chance. Kami-sama please give me another chance with my baby." At that moment, a gentle hand placed itself upon her shoulder. Nodoka whirled at the presence of someone in her home to see a woman whose appearance was slightly older than herself. Her face shone with an otherworldly radiance and the kanji for 'love' and 'hearth' seemed to float above the skin of her cheeks. She was dressed in a white kimono decorated with brightly colored designs representing volcanoes and plains filled with verdant life. Nodoka suddenly had the feeling that if she looked too long or close that she would see movement and be drawn into the scenery. 

"Child, there are those among us who have heard your plea, who have seen your son's, your daughter's life, asking for help was the first step. Your son was an avatar of Chaos, who was one of my first children and twin to Order. What has happened, has brought Ranma to my demesne as he now has chaos and order in equal measure in his essence. You may call me Boseiai or Irori, either works." She held out her hand to Nodoka.

Nodoka knelt and took the lady's hand, "Boseiai-sama, please help this unworthy one's son, my life, my soul is yours…"

"Very well, when your life is at end, you can come to me to keep me company for a time before your next reincarnation. I do get lonely at times. Nodoka make yourself presentable. We have to see to the birth of a new minor kami. And by the way, you can get rid of that worthless husband of yours, Ranma will have a brother and a sister. Its such a shame that Happosai ruined him for everything but seed. Find another man."

Hearing this, Nodoka fainted to the kitchen floor. Boseiai looked at her and wondered, gently, "What brought that on?" Smiling, "Let's get you refreshed and see to Ranma, daughter." She touched the woman's forehead and they vanished in a golden burst of light.

Nodoka awoke to a feeling of being clean and refreshed and realized that she was resting on a wicker couch. It was night time and she looked around at her surroundings. She was in a garden patio setting, high up a mountainside with late summer blossoms framing a rail at the precipice on one side. Boseiai was standing there, looking at an active volcano glowing brightly in the night.

Boseiai, glowing a slight golden hue that blended into the lambent redness of the lava flowing down the mountain, turned to face Nodoka. "Daughter, I won't be able to be with you, physically, when you go see your child so listen and observe well. Come here." Nodoka rose and walked to the rail beside the goddess, catching just the hint of sulfur drifting on the wind. "Look there." Lightning flashed in the ash cloud and illuminated the face of the mountain. Simultaneously a bright light flashed at a spot on the mountainside. "That is Mount Asama and Ranma must be there in four days time if he and she is to survive. Only complete immersion in the lava can purify the tainted power that has been absorbed by Ranma's body. Once that is done, you must help him accept what he will become, the Parent of a new Tribe of my Children. He will be Changed and, if you wish, you can partake of that change after your children are born and raised. I think that you would make a good fairy assistant in my realm." Nodoka grasped the rail and tried to etch everything into her mind. "Ranma can be brought to consciousness and health long enough to be an active participant. Build a pyre around Ranma, light it and keep it fed for twelve hours. No fire can harm your child, the phoenix pill has done its part in shaping Ranma's future as well as the natural fireproofing of the kauri form."

Boseiai touched Nodoka's forehead and her surroundings shifted in a golden flash. She was standing in the Tendo living room. "Remember." Echoed from everywhere and nowhere. She fled up the stairs and opened the door to the eldest Tendo daughter's room.

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Thanks for the reviews that I've gotten. This may be a pretty short fic. I despair of hitting forty thousand words in any story, but I'll try. This is more of a chapter 2a and I'll try to respond to reviews next chapter. Till then, ciao. 


	5. Love from the ashes pt 1

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 2.2: Love from the ashes part one

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Nodoka ran up the stairs to Kasumi's room and opened the door quietly and with trepidation. She didn't immediately see Ranma. Akane and Nabiki looked at her and slowly stood up, strain apparent in their faces. Kasumi remained protectively hugging Ranma, tear tracks on her angelic face. When she saw that Nodoka was unarmed, she smoothed a strand of the bright red hair and stood between Nodoka and her child. The mother plainly could see that this girl could be fiercely territorial and knew that she had not yet earned her trust. "Kasumi. Please let me see my child, I swear on my personal honor that I would never…harm my own child. We need to work together if we are to save Ranma."

Kasumi took in Nodoka's words and slowly moved to embrace her. "Please tell me that my…that Ranma will be okay" Nodoka returned the embrace and whispered to Kasumi's ear, "He will…daughter." The girl's eyes widened.

Nodoka then spoke to everyone, "Let me see Ranma and then I'll tell you what we are going to do." Kasumi relaxed and moved to one side, briefly gripping her hand and looking intently into her eyes with a strength that belied her housewife exterior. Then Nodoka looked at her daughter. She gasped at the otherworldly beauty and again at the horrific expression on her face. She was torn between the desire to hold her child in a comforting embrace and an imperative to kneel and worship her.

She tore he eyes from Ranma and stiffened her posture. "Nabiki go get a cart load of charcoal and arrange for more, at least two more loads. We need to set up a large bonfire in the yard and to make it as hot as possible. Akane, get that pile of concrete blocks from behind the dojo and stack them in the shape of a kiln big enough to rest Ranma inside comfortably."

"But Auntie it'll burn her…" wailed Akane. "No child, Ranma could walk on the sun and be unhurt by the fires. Now get busy, we have less than four days to get everything done." Nabiki and Akane left to do her bidding and she turned to face Kasumi. "Daughter, I'll pass on to you the rest of the instructions because I cannot risk Ranma's brother and sister by accompanying you. I'll handle Genma and your father when they show up. The rest is up to you and your sisters." Kasumi nodded, and then stared slack jawed at Nodoka.

"A…Auntie did…did you say Ranma's brother and sister?" Nodoka put an index finger to her mouth and with a shaky voice said, "I didn't misspeak my self, now let's talk strategy," ending on a firm note.

* * *

Akane had built a passable structure in the yard by a little past midnight, just a double wall of interlocked blocks high enough to shield the rest of the yard from the worst of the expected heat. Nabiki had only gotten a half cartload of charcoal but was promised three full loads to be delivered an hour after daylight. They covered the bottom of the kiln with blocks laid sideways for circulation and dumped all of the charcoal over that. It looked rather meager to Nodoka, but Akane came running into the yard with lumber scraps liberated from a construction site. A few loads of short two by fours had an apparent bed ready for lighting.

At this point, Kasumi carefully carried Ranma to the pyre and lay her down on the bed of charcoal and wood scraps, under Nodoka's guidance. Nabiki poured naphtha and heating kerosene around the edges and lit a small torch, which she then handed to Nodoka. "Boseiai-sama I pray that you are right." She said as she touched the torch to the soaked charcoal.

Ranma's form seemed to waver in the bright flames as they flared up, then died down to the blue and red of a very hot fire. The woman and girls were relieved to see that she was apparently unharmed. After a few minutes, her face lost the rictus of horror and relaxed into an expression of peacefulness, as if she were laying on a downfilled futon and not in a fire suitable for forging a sword.

Nodoka spoke, "Girls, let's take turns keeping the fire going and get rest as we can. It is a long time to two o'clock when Ranma can come out. Then we will have to act quickly.

* * *

In the house, Happosai groaned and looked up to see Boseiai standing over him. A weak "Pretty lady" escaped his lips. "Happosai." She intoned, "You owe your very soul to the child that you have abused. You still have a part to play in this little drama, so be prepared to redeem yourself." She touched his forehead and he found himself in the middle of a gray misty plain. He still bore a slightly confused look but was slowly coming to himself and settled down to a meditative position to wait, heal his body and to heal his spirit.

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Genma and Soun entered the yard about an hour before sunrise. Nodoka was there as if she had Genma radar. 'Now, I really wish I had my katana. Well, husband gets a goodbye treat and Soun will hopefully listen to reason.' "Genma! Where have you been, I have been in need of pillowing and you were nowhere to be found. Go home and clean up and I'll be right there." Genma's eyes lit up with sudden sobriety and lust, followed by his dust trail. Nodoka sighed, 'Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.' "Soun, come on in and have something to settle your stomach before I leave to see to my husband's needs." He followed her inside where he took a strong sleeping draught in the guise of stomach medicine. He slept the instant his head touched his pillow.

Back out in the yard, she pulled Kasumi to the gate. "Daughter, you know exactly what to do, you have the maps and supplies ready. Its up to you, I now have to go and distract my husband the rest of the day. He will be so full of himself that he'll forget that he even has a child, for a while. It's a shame that he is too wary for a sleeping draught." She hugged Kasumi and left to do her marital duty one last time.

Kasumi went to Nabiki and spoke, "Its up to us now, I just hope that we can get away from Nerima unremarked."

Nabiki replied, "Yeah, sis, there's the next cart of charcoal, earlier than they said and just in time. Let's get shoveling.

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Authors responses:

Trugeta: Thanks for your encouragement and comments. Yeah, I figure that he would be considered as a kami of sorts in the same way that the Sanjiyan Unkara would due to insane lifespan and powers.

Wonderbee31: I've always thought of Nodoka as being capable of more than the minimal characterizations. Why else would greedy, corrupt Genma be so ready to pee himself when she is around. I'm curious if your earlier review was intended for another story, Ranma won't lock, even as a kauri (male or female) yet.

Jerry Unipeg: Thanks for reading. Nodoka's character, or spirit makes her a daughter of the heart.

Ron: You too.

Dragon Man 180: Kuno won't be the problem, after the ultimate weakness point, he is only good for laughs

Ranko:Thanks for the encouragement

gODDess: Yours being the only vote so far, you win.

John Tannius: The well worlds are a series that I never picked up on. I read the RotDG, Flux and Anchor, and the demon series (ending with the Ninety Trillion Fausts). If you want to do a crossover, my votes go to Flux or RotDG as Chalker's best work. He passed away earlier this year to a sudden illness. A great shame.


	6. Love from the ashes pt 2

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 2.3: Love from the ashes part two

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"Kasumi, what's goin' on?" She couldn't understand why she was in the center of what she assumed was a very hot fire and felt as comfortable as if she were in a hammock in the shade on a summer's day. She made as if to get up and out. 

Kasumi shouted over the roar of the fire, "Ranma-kun, please stay where you are for two more hours. Your form is locked again, just for a time. The fire is temporarily abating the evil and perversity that you absorbed from grandfather Happosai. Please do as I ask because I couldn't bear to lose you."

Nabiki and Akane brought more buckets of charcoal and dumped them over the wall. "Glad to see you're still with us Saotome," called out Nabiki. Akane spoke, a little irritably, "I hope that you appreciate what we're doing for you. You made Kasumi cry, you know." Kasumi looked down and, blushing, went for another bucket of charcoal.

Ranma stared intently at Kasumi and Nabiki swore that she saw puffs of steam around the pigtailed fairy's eyes. 'I guess I know who has been chosen, even if she doesn't know it yet.' Thought the shorthaired mercenary. She began to tell Ranma the events that had happened since Happosai's attack.

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Cologne watched and wondered at the antics going on in the yard from her perch on the light pole overlooking the compound wall. 'So. Son in law, what have you gotten into this time? I think that this would bear watching and very careful handling.' She chuckled to herself quietly, 'Xian Pu, what am I to do with you? The Tendo girls are not raising a demon from the pits of hell to possess…Ranma. She now has more in common with Saffron's people than normal people. Well, Ranma would you want to be friends?' Her thoughts continued. Cologne watched and wondered at the antics going on.

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Ranma sat back and contemplated what Nabiki had told her. At least Jusenkyo still would allow her to be male, but what of her humanity, or the were curse? Kasumi seemed to know what to do and she got her knowledge from Nodoka. Her mother knew and still loved her. Several puffs of steam blurred her vision. At least two people, and maybe Nabiki, cared for her as a person. Her heart swelled to overflowing and the future looked brighter, no matter what might happen. She watched Kasumi, heavily clothed against the heat, toss the last bucket of charcoal beside her and smiled at the larger girl as she backed off and removed the heavy outer clothing. Kasumi smiled back, but Ranma could see longing hidden behind the eyes and wrinkles of strain around them. 'Can I picture Kasumi as the center of my universe…? Damn straight!' came back from his unconscious. 'Well, how do I get the courage to tell her?…' No answer was immediately forthcoming, so she assumed the lotus position and waited for the time to come for getting out of the flames. The frown she wore only came across as a cute pout.

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Ukyo watched and wondered at the activities and conversations being loudly passed over the flames. What had happened to her Ranchan? This was getting beyond weird. She didn't miss what was going on between Ranma and Kasumi. 'Ranma's decided and it looks like Akane's okay with it. If I told dad about everything that has happened to Ranma, there's no way he'd want me to marry her. It's time to help my buddy Ranchan.' She leapt to the ground beside Kasumi and her sisters. 

"Hi there…want to tell me what's going on?" Akane's hand twitched until she remembered that Ranma wasn't hers. "Ranchan, that IS you, isn't it?"

"Yeah Ucchan, its me."

"So what happened?"

"I got another curse and thanks to Happosai, I'm stuck again."

"Ranma needs to get to a certain spot on Mount Asama within the next three days or she may be lost to us, Ukyo." Added the eldest Tendo.

"Well, Ranchan's always been my best friend, in spite of the way I acted. I'll help my friend."

Kasumi responded with misty eyes, "Thank you, Ukyo, Ranma needs every friend right now."

"Okay, so how do we get this jackass to Mount Asama?" Plans were finished and supplies gathered, to be ready within minutes of Ranma's exit from the fire. Kasumi prepared a feast. It wouldn't do for Ranma to start out hungry.

The time came that Kasumi declared was "long enough" and Ranma stepped out of the fire and went to be hugged by all of the girls present. Unspoken was the hope that she would continue to be available. "Ranma, you don't feel hot at all and you smell of cinnamon." Said Kasumi as she released her hug, taking time to caress Ranma's cheek with the back of her hand. "Let's go to the dining room."

"Yeah! Kasumi, ya know that I can always eat my weight in 'your' food!" Followed by her tinkling laughter. Then everyone else gently laughed with Ranma, though Akane's was a little forced.

Just then, everyone cringed as they heard, "Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho! So the scarlet harpy shows her true self." Kodachi stood on the wall, left forearm still in a cast from her last attack on Ranma. "The Black Rose shall kill this demoness and free my Ranma-sama so that we may live in marital bliss!" She leapt to the ground and dodged Ukyo's swing of her giant battle spatula. Flying in a leap at Ranma, with her electrified clubs ready, Kodachi was amazed to see Kasumi in front of her. Kasumi executed a tai chi throw that redirected her to a wall.

Kasumi was upon her in a flash, pressing several shiatsu points until, with a smile of satisfaction, she went to the others, saying, "Well, let's eat."

Ranma re-hinged her jaw, "Kasumi that was amazing…" "…"

"Well, Ranma, don't expect me to sit by as someone I care about is threatened. You aren't in any shape to defend yourself until after your purification."

"What did you do to her?" asked Akane.

"I merely pressed her ultra laxative point and a combination of points that will enable the laxative point every time she speaks for the next week."

Out in the yard they heard, "Ho Ho Ho…OH NO!" along with some wet, flatulent sounds. Kodachi scrambled through the gate to get home.

Who knew that Kasumi, Kasumi the angel could be so…vicious? Or so good at martial arts?

In the dining room there were six places set out and four of the girls knelt at the table and tucked into the food that was laid out. Kasumi walked out into the yard and looked up with her welcoming smile and spoke, "Honored elder Cologne, why don't you join us for our meal? It must be rather warm to be setting in the bright sunlight for so long."

"How can I refuse when I'm asked so graciously." She wondered how Kasumi had known that she had been watching when she was hiding her chi completely. It couldn't have been that she stuck out like a sore thumb on top of the light pole, could it?

Now five girls and one Amazon elder were eating their meals around the table. Ranma was silent throughout the meal. After her sixth bowl of rice and chicken, she stretched her wings out, touching the ceiling and walls, and tucked her loincloth under her tummy, which was also stretching. She asked for another refill, grinning cutely. Akane mumbled something like, "Now I know where she puts it."

Finally, Cologne's curiosity became too much for her. "Ranma?" Said person riveted her attention on the matriarch at the lack of 'son in law'. "Ranma, can you tell me what happened to bring such a change? I have 'never' seen or heard of such a creature as you have become."

Nabiki spoke quickly, "Ranma? Kasumi? Let me explain , please. I won't tell you everything, but I'll tell you the truth. Right now, Ranma is a kauri. A kauri is a fairy, similar to the western tradition of fairies, but from a different universe. Because of Jusenkyo, we know that she can become a male fairy, but not much else. You see, a kauri has powers over men and feeds on their sexual energy and purges their nightmares and evil tendencies to bring happiness and content. Of course, Ranma has the will of Adamant or is still just clueless."

"Hey!"

"Sorry Ranma, but I've seen how you fight those 'urges'. Anyway, a male kauri is the same, just opposite gender. Last night, our safeguards failed and grandfather Happosai grabbed Ranma's Kauri form. We saw her pull every bit of evil and perversity from the old lecher, but there was too much and it is slowly killing her. She has to purify herself after absorbing a certain amount of evil or perversity or she dies. The only place to do that is in a volcano with bubbling lava."

"So I gotta swim in Lava?"

"Yes Ranma-kun, according to your mother, it's the only way." Said Kasumi.

Cologne spoke up, "Will this purification restore Ranma's humanity?"

Nabiki answered, "We don't know, Auntie Nodoka just said that she wanted her child to live."

After a few moments, Nabiki continued. "Father should remain sleeping until tonight. Auntie is distracting Genma. Ranma, you and whoever is going with you need to leave quickly before someone else shows up."

Kasumi came in, wearing a backpack and carrying a small hooded cloak. "Here Ranma, put this on and let's go."

Cologne said, "Ranma, don't worry about great-granddaughter. I feel that the kisses are no longer relevant. However, can I ask for your friendship and willingness to work out our past troubles in a peaceful manner?"

"Yes old…yes elder Cologne, that's all I could want. Thanks."

"Well, I'll have you know, you have done more to keep this old woman interested in living than anything I've seen or done in the last fifty years. Good luck child, come see me when you return." With that, she left.

After she left, Nabiki spoke, "Kasumi, Ranma, please don't talk about any other effects of 'this' curse yet. Akane and Ukyo, please understand that we'll probably tell you the rest later, but I feel that we need to get a handle on this for all our sakes."

"Okay, for now." said Ukyo. "Ranchan, friends?"

"Yeah. Friends."

"Friends don't let friends go into danger alone."

"You're not leaving me behind, either." Said Akane.

Nabiki handed Kasumi some flashlights. "Sis, the blue ones are polarized, the red are ultraviolet, you do what you must. Take good care of Ranma."

* * *

Three girls and one seeming child went to the train station to head southwest. An hour and a half later they got off at a stop in sight of the mountain during a particularly good show of pyrotechnics at the summit. The ash cloud was thankfully passing to the west of their location. Most people were boarding the train to leave the area and there were barricades blocking access to the mountain. The sun was just dipping below the western peaks and Kasumi began to be nervous. She said, let's see if we can find a campground away from this madness. Ranma grabbed Kasumi and raised her eyebrow at Ukyo and looked meaningfully at Akane and jumped to the nearest roof. Ukyo followed shortly with a ranting Akane. In five minutes they were away from any people and looking at the small glade. 

Ranma said, "This stream doesn't feed from the mountain and the ridge there should shield you from any pyroclastic flows. Let's get our tents set up."

"Kasumi looked at the setting sun and went over to Ranma where she was setting up a tent. "Ranma, there is something I have to do. Its connected to what we're here for. Let's go over there for privacy. The larger girl then checked Ranma's pulse and tapped her knees and elbows. She looked in her ears and then said "Look up and say aahh." Kasumi put her finger in Ranma's mouth under a canine and dragged it roughly out, cutting a small gash in the finger.

Ranma jumped back and said "Wadja do that for? Do ya want my curse?" She looked at Kasumi's bleeding finger and began to shake. She lunged for the bigger girl and just said "Why?"

Kasumi looked at Ranma with tears in her eyes, "Ranma-kun, Nabiki and I had a long conversation about this and decided that the only way for anyone helping you to come back alive themselves was for them to be as fireproof as you. I can't ask Akane to make the sacrifice and I doubt Ukyo would be willing either. They can wait here for us while we just fly to the lava tube. It will be done just that much quicker and there were no warnings about being too soon, just too late."

Their hug lasted several minutes until, "Kasumi-chan I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Don't worry, I do it out of love. That's why this is going to work…dear…dear Ranma-chan. Now let's find out if my gamble worked."

Ranma was hoping that it had failed. Kasumi got into a tree's darker shadow and turned the polarized light on her face, which became that of a Kasumiesque kauri. Her clothes had vanished and she was garbed in the same manner as Ranma, barely sufficient top and loincloths. 'Damn, even as a kauri, I'm short,' thought Ranma. Under the flash, her wings might have been a more pink shade of red in her markings. She then took the u/v flashlight and transformed back into human Kasumi. Ranma breathed an enormous sigh of relief.

Kasumi went to Ranma and hugged her, whispering, "Let's tell Akane and Ukyo." Ranma shuddered, thinking about mallets and spatulas. "Don't worry, it was my decision, they'll have to respect that."

At the campsite Akane and Ukyo were seated at Ukyo's grill. There were several completed okonomiyaki in a basket by the grill. "So Akane, you gave up on Ranchan?"

"Its not that, I never was interested, much. Our fathers were forcing us together and I was too jealous. It wasn't fair to her. I would rather have her as a friend or sister or brother, there is just too much chaos following her around."

Ukyo said, "Yep, that's my Ranchan. I won't likely be marrying him, but the jackass is the best friend you could ever ask for…and I love him for it." A pause. "Are we friends?"

Akane looked thoughtful, "I'd like to think so, Ukyo, do you want to be friends?"

"Sure do sugar." The two hugged, and began to giggle. That was when Ranma and Kasumi returned.

"Ranma and I have a change of plans to announce." The two girls looked up questioningly. "In a bit, when it is fully dark, Ranma and I are going on, you should wait here no more than two days, though I expect us to be back tomorrow night."

"Now hold on big sis, I thought we were all going because it was so dangerous."

"I made a decision that will reduce the hazard and will keep you two safe." She brought out the wereflash, as Ranma called it, and turned it on to her face. Two gasps followed her transformation.

"RRRAAANNNMAA!" in unison.

"STOP you two! It. Wasn't. Ranma's. Decision! It was my own, with plenty of forethought. Now SIT!" She turned the dayflash on herself and returned to her housewife form. Kasumi then took Akane's hand and said "I trust you two to keep this secret, please." Akane and Ukyo both nodded. "Here is the reason it must be a secret." She turned the wereflash on herself again and there were two Akanes. Akane's eyes turned up in her head and she fainted, looking at herself.

Ukyo banged herself on the head with her spatula and looked at the two Akanes and said "Sugar, that's some trick," and fainted beside Akane.

Ranma said, "They took that better than I would."

Akane came around first and looked at herself…Kasumi and a lightbulb went off and she said angrily, "Ranma that was you licking yourself, not Yoshi!"

"I'm sorry, but everything else was him!" She curled up into a ball, expecting a mallet.

Akane suddenly realized that she had been conditioning her to expect the abuse. "Ranma, I'm sorry about the mallets, I promise. Haven't I calmed down since the engagement was removed from me?"

Ranma looked up, tentatively, and made a small nod.

Akane went to hug Ranma and started bawling. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That's not the way I should have treated you." She looked at her sister with beseeching eyes, "Sis, please treat Ranma the way I should have. She deserves better than she got from me."

Ukyo began to wake up and confirmed the evidence of her eyes and looked thoughtfully at Ranma and Kasumi. "If I think about it for a while, do you think one of you might be convinced to give me a bite?"

"Ya'd better think long and hard about it Ucchan. If your reason's good enough, I'll think about it too. Kasumi, we better get ready ta go." With that, Kasumi dayflashed herself and then used the wereflash to become kauri again.

This time she shuddered. "Ranchan…Ranma, this form feels good, wanton. I can see where it requires a lot of strength to restrain oneself."

"Sorry about that, Kasumi. Maybe this purification will help with that." The four of them said their good-byes. Akane and Ukyo watched the other two fly into the night. Akane prayed to her mother for their safekeeping.

* * *

06-11-05 

Trugeta: Well Kodachi proved to be a threat and I wanted Kasumi to prove herself capable. Cologne is now on Ranma's side and as a friend. Asking for an alliance would be too much now. The Amazons will have to prove themselves and Cologne knows it. She also suspects kami influence much higher on the food chain than Saffron. I hope the process is becoming clearer for Ranma's eventual ascension to kamihood.

GODDess: It may be slow at times, but I hope to finish at least one arc. So far, nothing can compete with Kasumi, but what are those wanton feelings going to do to her?

Ranko: see the previous comment.

p kbat: Kasumi has and Ukyo's seeing benefits, Nabiki has plans, definitely.

John Tannius: Yes, it is sad. Go to his official website and read his children's blogs. :(

Maybe I can find his first wellworld trilogy in a used book store, have never read any of them. Did you ever read that series that had "The Pirates of the Thunder"? was that by Jack Chalker? Don't be surprised if I diverge mightily from RotDG as I am going on fifteen year old memories and Vengeance of the Dancing Gods.

Jerry Unipeg: Short comments, but any encouragement is good.

Ron: Ditto Jerry's answer above

Dragon Man 180:This chapter will probably answer some of your questions. It was Kodachi, and I feel her punishment was just.


	7. Interlude 2

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 2.4: Brief Nerima interlude

* * *

It was mid afternoon. Her child was likely on her way and her delaying tactics had worked as she intended. 'If only Genma would consider his partner's desire for pleasure', she thought sadly, 'No, other than what I carry now, Genma, you are barely worth the effort to divorce. If I demanded seppuku, you would wonder what you did wrong, or, just blame it on Ranma. Actually, you are well worth divorcing,' thinking of her dear grandfather's trust fund that would be available as soon as there was no chance of Genma wasting it. She went to her purse and withdrew a few bills and lay them on top of his gi. Nodoka wrote a note, suggesting that he get Soun and go have a few drinks. She wrinkled her nose at her self. 'Sake and selfish male lust, feh!' A quick rinse in the shower, getting clothed and some fragrance more becoming of her, she left to go to the Tendos to see how events had transpired. It would be nice to use their furo, since she was unable to afford one when her home was rebuilt.

Nabiki answered the door, "Welcome, Auntie Saotome, its sort of lonely with everyone else gone."

"I suspected that you would like some company, and, I wish to know if Ranma is okay."

"Everything has gone almost as we planned. Kasumi is taking care of Ranma, while Akane and Ukyo are protecting them."

"Good. Do you mind if I use the furo before I prepare supper?"

"Sure Auntie, I'll join you. Maintaining the fire was more work than I liked." Nodoka and Nabiki undressed in the changing room and pulled their bath supplies from the shelf. "Let me scrub your back Auntie." They shivered as they poured the buckets of cool water over themselves.

Nodoka washed herself as Nabiki took care of her back. When she was done the back scrub turned into a massage and she sat on the stool going limp, relaxing for the first time since finding out about Ranma's new 'condition'. After a few minutes she took Nabiki's hand and said, "That's good enough." She then assisted the young girl in her own ablutions. They both enjoyed the quiet that permeated the house. Nabiki finally got up and sat in the furo.

Nodoka made as if to get in with the girl when she suddenly turned and looked at herself in the full-length mirror between the sinks. She ran her hands over her abdomen, fingers tracing the very faint striae gravidarum from her long ago pregnancy.

Nabiki perked up at the odd, happy, sad look on the woman's face. "Auntie, what is it?"

Nodoka shook herself and entered the furo with her hands clasped to her belly as she sat down. "Oh, its just that when Ranma comes back, I have some grand news to share with him…or her."

Nabiki's eyes bulged with the realization of what Nodoka 'had' to be talking about. She reached over and hugged the woman. "Oh, Auntie, how long?"

"I have it on good authority that it will be twins…and it's within the last three weeks."

"Ranma's going to be so excited. Does Uncle know?"

"No! and he is not to know for as long as possible. I've been waiting for this to happen before divorcing him. Tomorrow, I go to my lawyer to finalize the proceedings. When the bill collectors and people making claims on my son began showing up about ten years ago, I began to document everything… beginning with the damnable seppuku contract that he left behind when he took Ranma away from me."

"Do you want me to go along to verify that its done right, Auntie?"

"Of course, I've seen how astute you've been in providing for your family. I believe that I can even pay a bit for your time. If you can wait until the divorce is final, and assist me until then, would two million yen cover that and any expenses that my soon to be ex-husband has incurred during his stay?"

"You have that much to spare?"

"Yes dear Nabiki. At least I will soon after. Now, let's get out of here and see to the evening meal. Maybe we can go see a movie afterwards."

* * *

AN: Just a bit of Nerima to post while I'm struggling with the last chapter for this arc. Will answer reviews next chapter, except for this:

Trugeta: Yeah I saw the missing quotes a few ignoseconds after posting, trying to figure an easier way to edit. Maybe the export function?


	8. Out of the Frying Pan

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 2.4: Out of the frying pan

* * *

The two kauri were flying toward the entrance to the lava tube across a landscape that was bright as daylight to their enhanced vision. They still had about an hour's flight to go and Kasumi was frequently checking landmarks on the map that she, Nabiki and Nodoka had marked up.

"Hey Kasumi, I was wondering about how ya got so good, the way ya handled Kodachi back home?"

Kasumi was startled for a moment. 'She thinks of my home as hers?' "Err…well Ranma, I never quit practicing Mother's school of tai chi. You see, I was her heir. The school is passed along the maternal line. The big problem was the lack of sparring partners after she passed away. I incorporated the katas into my daily cleaning routine and used the dojo when everyone was asleep for the advanced work. The shiatsu is a blend of Mother's Art and the books that I borrowed from doctor Tofu. When he left Nerima, I found a box full of scrolls in my room and a letter saying they were mine. He said that he loved me, but he had an incurable allergic reaction to my aura. He moved away for the safety of his patients and for fear of harming me." Ranma's hearing picked up the sadness in her voice.

The two took a gliding path above the trees after passing over a ridgeline. Ranma allowed a wing tip to caress one of Kasumi's and returned the other girl's smile as they sailed down and across the valley. Then they worked their way up the ridge to catch the updraft that would be on the other side of the ridge. Their target was a few hundred feet above the tree line and the free boost from the prevailing wind would help Ranma's limited strength.

The updraft did its job and carried them up like an express elevator and they began a slow glide to the entrance of the lava tube. Ranma began to feel an unease as the landing spot grew nearer and searched the ground for threats in a frantic manner. A sudden realization struck and she looked up and saw a huge black shadow drop the last few feet, knocking her the remaining distance to the ground. "Taro, why?" A mooing noise was the only answer as the monster stood over her. Kasumi swooped in and kicked the minotaur in the head, distracting him for a moment, but opening herself to attack. She screamed as a pair of tentacles grasped her and twisted her wings with a sickening crunching sound. Ranma cried out and tried to do something, anything for Kasumi but failed to move as she saw her own legs were both broken as was one arm and her own wings. Pantyhose dropped the shuddering girl to the ground and began to move slowly on Ranma while laughing in an evil cow-like manner. He picked up a boulder and raised it above his head to crush the pigtailed fairy when a splash of heated water struck him from nowhere. Ranma saw a look of surprise as the boulder fell. Kasumi came to Ranma and held her in her arms. "Thank Kami, you're alive" came from two throats.

"Not for long fem-boy and not long for your girl friend either. I never told you that I'm a poor loser and when I listened in on that conversation earlier, with the pancake chef and the tomboy, I decided that this is the perfect time to kill the great Ranma Saotome. I think that I'll just play with your girlfriend for a while to make my revenge a tastier dish." He let out an evil chuckle and began to move forward.

A pipe came out of thin air and knocked Pantyhose across the open area into a boulder, smashing it to rubble.

"Well Pantyhose, I thought that I was here only to give you a new name, but it appears that you get to learn a lesson as well."

It was Happosai and he was standing in the loose Anything Goes stance. Instead of his usual purple outfit, he was wearing a white gi and glowing with a white radiance. Never taking his eyes off Taro, he said, "Kasumi, dear, you'd better get yourself and Ranma up into that cave, I'll watch your back."

"Grandfather Happosai, what…"

"A Pretty Lady showed me the error of my ways and lent me some strength to do good things in her name, now go on. This is just the start of my penance, we'll meet again." His aura flared up and formed a glowing dragon shape as Taro splashed himself from a bottle. The two forms clashed and the dragon kicked the minotaur down the hillside. Roaring and bellowing could be heard as well as explosions that followed bright flashes.

* * *

Kasumi ignored the pain from her mangled wings and carried the now unconscious Ranma into the cave that was the lava tube. The floor was clear of rubble, probably from ancient rains that found the tube an easier path downslope in the past. Still, at some point, she became too weak to carry Ranma any further. She sat herself and Ranma down and sobbed. "Oh dear Ranma, I mustn't fail you. I mustn't!" Gathering her strength, she put her arms under Ranma's and dragged the little kauri up the tube, stopping to catch her breath and to make sure Ranma was still alive. The increasing heat of the tube spurred her to redouble her efforts. Her world narrowed down to the fire in her muscles and the precious life in her grasp. It was pull for a few yards speak some encouraging words, rest, and begin again.

It was during a session of pulling that she unknowingly pushed off of a ledge and realized that they were falling into the center of a tremendous dome shaped cavern. She gathered Ranma to her bosom as they fell and prayed to her mother's spirit as they continued to fall.

Striking the lava was not the painful sensation that Kasumi expected. She realized that they were well below the surface of the lava. The next thing that she noticed was that, to her, it seemed no more dense than air, though it supported her and Ranma. She could 'see' clearly all the way to the sides of the vent. The pain in her back was gone and a flap of her wings proved that they were healed. In her arms Ranma began to stir. The odd energy around them saturated every cell in their bodies, burning off the dark energies that they had collected.

Ranma began to surface into consciousness and felt the glowing energy around her. She opened up her eyes to see Kasumi looking back with infinite care and worry. The little kauri felt so good that she pulled Kasumi's head down and kissed her on the lips. "Is this heaven Kas-chan? I'm floating here in the arms of the one I love, so it must be." Kasumi just closed her eyes and kissed Ranma while hugging her gently.

As the couple expressed their feelings for each other, the energies in the lava were intermingling their life and magical energies at a level that they were unaware of. A down current was carrying them deeper and deeper. After a while the two realized that they were being taken somewhere and by unspoken agreement just agreed to let it take them where it would.

* * *

Taro fought the chi dragon that Happosai had created around himself with growing desperation. He was missing two tentacles and the other six had enough damage to make them useless. Somehow the old lecher had discovered the shiatsu points that disabled his wings, making it difficult to escape or follow the two fairies to finish the job. Taro finally realized that he only had brute strength and physical moves and Happosai's spiritual power showed no sign of waning. He took a stance once again as the glowing dragon touched down in front of him. The dragon began to fade, leaving the ancient martial artist standing with wisps of chi flickering about.

"Taro m'boy, are you ready to talk?" The minotaur nodded in exhaustion. "Here, use this." Happosai tossed a thermos to Taro. The now human fighter sat on the ground and glared at the ancient pervert.

"You know old man, this is all your fault. If you had just given me a more common name I wouldn't have suffered through hell."

"Yes, I know. A very pretty lady convinced me that I had some things to do before I finished out this life and a new name for you is now on the agenda. Your name is now George Taro. Go in peace and forget about revenge for imagined slights. By now, Ranma and Kasumi are likely beyond any harm from you or anyone."

Happosai faded from view. George, 'why a gaijin name, well, it isn't the name I had been saddled with', he thought, speculated on whether the old bastard had left or was using invisibility. Out of curiosity, he went to the cave to see what had become of the two kauri fairies. He no longer felt any anger toward either of them, though he still felt like strangling Happosai in his sleep. He followed the trail to the ledge and looked down at the lake of fire and felt some confidence that they were probably dead. "I hope you found peace, Ranma." He made a small prayer for Kasumi's spirit.

* * *

Ranma and Kasumi had floated along the currents of this bright place until they saw what appeared to be a lush island floating in a bubble in the huge 'cavern' of lava. As they came to the boundary and passed through with a pop, gravity took over and their wings worked to right themselves. "Hey Kasumi, there's a garden and some kind of shrine over by that pond. Do ya think we oughta check it out?"

"I believe that maybe some answers will be waiting , since we appear to have been expected." Replied Kasumi as she saw a woman waiting on a garden path.

The two landed in front of the kimono clad person, both taking in her calm aura and the love that permeated the island. "Welcome to Irori, children. This will be your ultimate place of safety to raise your children as well as renewing your spirits. We are actually slightly out of phase with the world, here, so that the fires can't touch us, but the energy still bathes all, providing nourishment. My name is Boseiai…I am pleased with your choice of mate, Ranma."

Ranma sputtered, "But I didn't make her…"

"Look into your heart. I know that Kasumi made her own choice freely and out of love."

Ranma just blushed and hung her head and Kasumi blushed and gently smiled at her companion's distress.

"Well, now that you're here, what do you say to finding out about how all of the magic has affected you. There is unpredictability due to the large amount of chaos magic that filled you both because of the Jusenkyo curse."

"Boseiai-sama, do you mean that we may not pass for human?"

She said, "I don't know, but we can find out some things now. Try using some hot water, Ranma." She accepted the kettle and poured some over herself and was relieved to find himself male again, still kauri, though with no pain.

Boseiai tried to hide her relief on seeing the change. "There will be other interactions that you'll have to explore as you go. I expect that daylight will restore your human forms and low light or night time will start the kauri transformation." 'Darn, the were contagiousness is gone' she thought as she scanned the two.

Ranma and Kasumi were, meanwhile, starting to feel rather warm in each other's presence. "Oh My, Ranma-kun! I think I'm really beginning to understand what you meant when you described the urges that you felt."

The goddess spoke, "I need to give you a bit of background on your current forms. You respond to arousal the same as you ever did, but to a very heightened degree. As long as your will is strong, you can control your response to those feelings. I do recommend that you practice birth control because you are highly fertile with each other but can naturally control fertility with normal humans." Ranma and Kasumi looked at each other and gave Boseiai nods of understanding. "The sexual imperative is wired rather tightly because, in the other universe, kauri fill an environmental niche. They remove negative emotions and nightmares from their partners, improving the mental health of their 'victims'. Both of you now have abilities to control the opposite gender of normal humans to ensure coupling and purging of negative emotion. There are no psychiatrists and no doctors, there, and mental illness is treated by magical means." She led them into the shrine to continue their education in their new lives.

* * *

Nabiki sat on the engawa with Yoshi's head resting in her lap, scratching his ears. It had been almost a week since Ukyo and Akane had returned with the news that Ranma and Kasumi had disappeared. They had followed the two kauri to the lava tube entrance when they hadn't rendezvoused back at the camp. They had found evidence of a great battle but no bodies. There were bovine hoof marks all around and they saw the lava lake and despaired. The eruption on the fourth day almost cost them their lives as the vent blew out the dome above the lava tube that gave access to the lake. Fortunately, a couple of university volcanologists warned of the impending eruption. The group had just crossed the ridge that Ranma had told them would protect the girls, when the pyroclastic flow obliterated all life in the other valley.

Two days before, Happosai showed up acting completely different mumbling about a pretty lady. He dodged Akane and Ukyo when they attacked him on sight and bounced up to Nodoka and bowed low. He said only, "The children will come home when the pretty lady is done with their healing." The old man then vanished into thin air. The women felt relief, but continued to worry about the terms of the healing.

Genma had come over to play shogi with Soun but was too nervous to put up more than a token resistance to his partner's cheating. Nodoka was cooking a late supper and singing 'Happy Days are Here Again' while slicing and peeling cantaloupes the size of his head in the air with her katana. She had a look of anticipation that truly frightened him.

The sun had set a while before and Nabiki watched the deepening night sky while petting Yoshi. The dog seemed to be missing Ranma in his own way because he had been unusually quiet for several days. She looked around to make sure that no one was around. She hugged the dog and said, "I miss them too, boy." Suddenly, Yoshi grew in her lap and she was looking at herself staring back.

"Imissem Imissem loveranmalove ilovekasumi loveyou ireaaalllyloveakane." Yoshi, turned Nabiki, kept a running display of affection going as the real Nabiki tried to calm the werenabiki down. Just then, another dog of the same mysterious parentage as Yoshi came running in. The dog looked at the two Nabikis and facefaulted.

"Akane is that you?" Akane growled, manifesting a large mallet that she was unequipped to manipulate. "I guess that Yoshi must have given you a playful nip some time. We have to be careful to isolate him from anyone else." Akane nodded with a downcast puppy look.

She was thinking furiously. 'Looks like Ranma-kun wasn't as careful as he thought. I wonder? Heh!' A look of realization crossed her face, followed by a sly smile. "Hey, Yoshi, I like you too. Want to play?" The werenabiki let out an excited cry and started bouncing around as Nabiki got up to play with a smirk becoming a grin from ear to ear. Akane was stunned as she realized what her sister was up to. She started to attempt to prevent it, when Nabiki held up her hand and shouted "Yatta!" as a trickle of blood ran down her hand. "I figured it out. The template is whatever form they're wearing at the time, so I just change into myself, I'm so good!"

Yoshi was sitting and listening to Nabiki, who now noticed her again. "Yoshi, do you understand me?"

"Yeah, yeahsureiknowwhatyouresayingsaying."

"If I told you to never ever bite anyone or anything again, would you remember it after you change back?"

"Yesyesyesiwillrememberit."

"Okay, PLEASE don't bite anyone unless I tell you to. It could be very bad." She then turned on a nearby day lamp, returning Akane and Yoshi to their normal forms.

* * *

Meanwhile a small camera set in a crack in the compound wall was transmitting to a small apartment a block away. Two large gaijin men watched a grainy screen and ate popcorn. "Jim, looks like we got a whole colony of shapeshifters here." Spoke one in english.

"Yeah. But this ain't all of em. That sickly kid talked about a boy that turned into a girl and a china girl that turned into a cat. I don't know how much longer we can wait. 51 can only keep the locals away for so long. The jet and containment pods are good to go. I think national security demands that we take what we can get."

"You may be right," The first man in an American air force colonel's uniform spoke, "call in the boys. We got a plum here, maybe not the brass ring, but we can't afford much exposure. Put the informant on ice with a gun in his hand and leave him on site. A residual of sarin will let the terrorists take the heat."

* * *

Nabiki, Akane and Yoshi were sitting on the engawa under the plant light in their normal forms. After going to her room for some special items, she had explained what she knew of the were 'curse' and handed Akane two disks. Each had a lens on one side with a sticky band around the edge of the lense. "Akane, stick this dayflash to your skin, under your clothes and press the button when you go out under moonlight. It'll keep you from changing at awkward times."

"Thanks Nabiki. When I get my hands on that Ranma, I'll…"

"You. Will. Do. Nothing, little sister. Don't blame Ranma for your problems.

"But…"

"But nothing, neither myself or Kasumi will allow any more abuse of Ranma. He will soon be your brother, or sister. FAMILY." Akane's incipient aura began to fade from visibility. "I…look on this were condition as an opportunity, a gift, and so should you. Forget all the old stories about werewolves. Yes, we will heal much faster but silver only causes a slight rash. And, at night you can become something else, with moonlight or a flash." She smirked, "You could become Ranma…maybe Ranma-chan? Hmmm?"

Where Nabiki thought of human girl Ranma, Akane stared off, thinking of kauri Ranma, 'Flying…and being able to control boys?" She suddenly felt aroused as her thoughts continued to take her to greater heights of hentai thought. Nabiki watched with a nervous eye as her sister became slack jawed and began to drool. Yoshi collapsed at her feet and uncle Saotome, in panda form, was asleep on the garden walk at the dojo, snot bubble on his nose. 'Oh damn!" She felt a sting in her back and a dizziness coming over her, "Drugged dart…" With her last coherent thoughts and actions, Nabiki took the disks in hand and jammed them into her shorts into a hiding place that would avoid cursory searching. She reached out with both hands to soften her fall and everything went black.

Soun and Nodoka were stepping out of the dining room to announce dinner and took in the tableau of large men in black suits and faces painted black and gray. Each carried a firearm of some sort. Nodoka unsheathed her katana and faced off with the crowd of assailants. She managed to deflect most of the fletched tranquilizer darts but fell shortly after a couple hit her shoulder. Soun's demon head attack confused the attackers for long enough for him to knock several into unconsciousness against the outer wall. Most of the others peed their pants, but kept firing. Several were bleeding seriously, but it wasn't enough to prevent some darts getting through. He followed Nodoka into unconsciousness.

* * *

Not much of a cliffhanger but I'm back from a Caribbean cruise and my brain's pretty fried. I know my story probably reads more like a synopsis and wouldn't mind someone helping to flesh it out a bit, if this is a premise that they like. Thanks Gerald for looking over the text and for some ideas as to the direction I can take with this.

Hiryo I know it may seem more like a synopsis than a story, but I'll try slowing it down, no promises.

Wonderbee31 I loathe Genma's personality and wish him no good. Boseiai's blessings will affect them both, but not necessarily equally.

Ranko Think of Kasumi in so many fanfics. Placid on the surface but with hidden depths.

Jerry Unipeg Marge already had a kauri soul, Joe's soul was transformed by being a wood nymph for a time. I'm working out how the Jusenkyo curse and the Phoenix pill would affect Ranma combined with the lava purification.

Neither small size nor gender means one is weak.

I have ideas for Ukyo, next chapter.

John Tannius If you can get the entire Rings of the master series, I feel that you will enjoy it. There are lots of twisted laws of robotics and shape changing going on, though it took a long time to finish reading for me. Nabiki is pivotal to saving the kidnapped family in a future chapter.

Trugeta I like to have Kasumi do something a little out of left field, she is stronger than she looks, but has a hidden desperate desire for change. No she wasn't a kauri. She explained how she maintained her art in this chapter. Akane can be rehabilitated, I just can't accept that Ranma would become so co-dependent that he would put up with her forever. The results of the time that the pair are taught in the refuge will unfold. I spotted the grammar problem and figured corrected it as quickly as I could

Dragon Man 180 Those in the know will expand somewhat but the fathers will remain metaphorical mushrooms for a while regarding secrets. Genma will play a part just not very useful.


	9. Martial Art Espionage

Doan Oan Ranma, Chalker or Tenchi

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 3: Martial Arts Espionage

* * *

(A/N: Hopefully, the story will remain rateable between T and M per the guide.) 

Nabiki woke to a massive ringing in her ears as the drug began the process of wearing off. Then the nausea hit and she threw up over the side of the cot that she found herself laying on. When she finished retching, her reddened eyes saw that she must have done this several times before her awareness had actually surfaced. If she could have done so without inciting another bout of puking, she would have chuckled. The movies certainly weren't like this. In them, people woke up instantly aware and were able to take charge of their situation.

She blearily took in her surroundings and realized that the mattress and cot she was laying on were the only furnishings in the room and the only access was through the rather solid iron door. The door had a two inch gap at the bottom and a small barred window at the top. There was no toilet or water tap. After what seemed to be an hour, she felt up to more active exploration. One corner had a pile of what seemed to be well composted feces and she emptied her bladder and bowels in the same spot with a feeling of resignation. Her fingers verified that her flashes hadn't been taken from her and she pulled her shorts back up in relief.

Further exploration showed the remains of a desiccated slice of bread at one end of the bed and was surprised as she realized that there was a fair amount of light coming through a well barred fixture recessed into the ceiling. The reason was obvious when she saw the old fashioned camera beside the light bulb. That brought another realization, the whole facility had the ambiance of having been built more than a few decades before. The dryness of the air suggested a desert climate. Looking under the door revealed table legs and some chair legs as well as the presence of some other doors, similar to hers, in the wall opposite of her position. One of the doors had been smashed and bent into scrap metal. Probably had been done by Genma, her father or baby sister. She also spotted two rat traps along that wall, which started her thinking. After a couple of minutes, she began to grin, without looking at the camera.

Back at the cot she picked up the dried crust of bread and smeared it in the vomit that hadn't finished drying yet and set it between the cot and the wall. She took a chunk of the bread that she had torn off and placed it close to her head on the cot and proceeded to nap, listen and watch.

The rat knew when night fell, though it was always the same in this place. She was hunting for nourishment to provide the same for her brood. Lately there had been better luck in this area, even though…or because the humans were more active. There had been more crumbs and things to chew on. She had come close to panicking when she smelled an animal that was utterly alien to her, but it was gone elsewhere. The rat ran across the room and smelled something interesting. She ran under the door and made a partial circuit of the room when she smelled the grain smell. 

Nabiki was roused to full alert when she heard a snall scrabbling noise by the wall. She quietly prepared to spring her trap. The rat came down along the wall and was sniffing the air and looking at the moistened bit of bread decided to go for it, when it found itself immobilized.

Nabiki had the feeling that someone would come if she disappeared so she pretended to consider eating the rodent and moved to one of the camera's blind spots that she had figured out from her own experience at spying. She pulled her shorts down a bit and reached one handed into her hiding spot and dragged the flash 'buttons' out with a gasp. 'I hope they're as moisture tight as I spec'd out.' She thought to herself with a grin. Each flash had two pressure switches, one strobed once, the other was on continuously. These features would be important later on.

She separated the two flash buttons and carefully laid the dayflash down on the floor, adhesive ring up. The were flash was stuck to her belly, just below the ribcage. Her clothes settled and preparations made, Nabiki looked at the rat that she still held gently by the scruff. "Well little guy, this is it." She pressed the strobe on the wereflash and dropped the rat as she quickly shrank. The room took on gargantuan proportions and she saw the other rat scurrying out the door in fright. 'Thanks for the pattern guy…err, girl. Great, I'm a lactating mother rat.' She thought as she assessed her current body.

She then went to the dayflash and lay down on it so that it would be located where the were flash would be. 'Thank the kami that this were condition handles clothes." She thought as the molecular adhesive worked its way to the skin. Once the flash was ready, she headed for the door to find her family.

* * *

--- --- 000 --- ---

Ukyo was running to the Tendo dojo. Now that she didn't need Ranma or Kasumi for a bite, she did want something like an owner's manual from Nabiki since she had done more research.

Ukyo slammed to a stop at the open gate. Something smelled wrong. She smelled blood and the presence, at least recently, of several male humans. Running about, she determined that no one was there except…Gosunkugi? She sensed that he was still alive, but not for long with an obviously broken neck. He was apparently the only witness and she looked suspiciously at the sidearm in his hand. Ukyo thought about what she knew of the strange young man. He wasn't a killer. She put her nose to work and could smell the hand of the gun's owner. The gun had been fired recently and the smell of burned powder could not be found on the boy's person. 'It's a frame up.' She thought. She had an idea, not necessarily smart, but thought it was his only chance to live.

The female version of Yoshi approached Hikaru and bit his hand enough to draw blood. Within seconds his initial change commenced and Yoshi's twin lay there, maybe a little more gaunt than Yoshi would be. Ukyo started panting in relief when she saw that it had worked, that he was healthy and slowly reviving. She then ran inside to where one of the lights were that Nabiki told her about and actually found that the light over the porch was one when she found herself in her normal form, albeit on all fours.

"Gosunkugi…Gos, wake up!" The dog in the middle of the yard woke up with a whimper. He looked around and looked at himself and when he got to his tail, he passed out again. Ukyo stared at the night sky and growled. She realized that she had stepped just a little far from the light and had changed again. She then let out a howl of frustration.

Hikaru woke up again at the howl and spotted the dog that made the noise. She turned and walked up to the porch, changing into the okonomiyaki chef that hung around with Akane and Ranma. 'She's one of them!' he thought excitedly. 'Wait! Maybe I'm one now too,' as he sniffed himself and realized that his color vision had been reduced somewhat. He got up and moved toward Ukyo on four unsteady feet and felt the change and the pain in his neck returned, though not as bad as it was. "What just happened?"

Ukyo unholstered her big spatula, "I saved your life is what happened! And if I don't like what I hear, I'll take it back, so don't be a jackass and tell me what happened."

The memory of the evenings events returned and he covered his face with his hands. "Oh no! I thought that they were going to take Saotome and his father so I could court Akane OWW!" Clang!

"That's one, Jackass! two more and your new lease on life is over! Besides, don't you know they split up!"

"Kami save me! I didn't know." He sobbed. "They…they wanted to know about shape changers. I told them about the curses and they came and made me point out the dojo. They are a bunch of American government gaijins that put up surveillance on the Tendos. They didn't know I understood english, but it seems that they saw Akane and their dog change shapes as well. They said that they had to move quickly. The one in charge was called Murdock, his nickname was Chiropractor. He wore an airforce colonel's uniform. He's the one that broke my neck…he did break my neck?"

"Sure did sugar, don't know how ya lived, but go on."

"Well, they said something about area 51 and getting back to Groom Lake and containments on a jet. And they took everyone and said that the innocents would get cooperation until they got what they needed, then they'd turn them over to vivisection."

Hikaru sobbed a bit and continued, "They dragged me here and I watched them take the Tendos and Saotomes with drugged darts and that dog that looks like we do when…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Go on."

"M-Murdock put a gun in my hand and said that he had to kill me for pulling a gun on him and that's the last I remember."

Ukyo holstered her battle spatula and sat down hard on the floor. "Ranchan, where are you when we need ya? Gos, you are going to help get them ALL back, you know." It was not a question.

"S-Sure."

"Good. Now that you are a were like several of us, you are a part of whatever organization that Nabiki comes up with after we save them and she will give you marching orders. Until then and until I decide I can trust you, You. Will. Do. As. I. Say. I figure that you are dead and living on sufferance till then." At that moment, two winged figures settled into the yard. Ukyo's relief was palpable. She ran and glomped Ranma, changed to Ranma's double and dragged her over to Kasumi and performed a double glomp.

"Guys. Your families have been kidnapped, maybe two hours ago by some Americans. I think they plan to put them into some lab and then kill them when they find out what they want."

"Whoa Ucchan. How did you change?"

"I figure that you bit Yoshi, and he bit me and Akane and Maybe Nabiki. They took them all."

Ranma's eyes hardened to the color of blue steel and Kasumi simply looked shocked and began to collapse. Ranma caught her and carried her into the living room. Ukyo, Ranma and Kasumi changed to their normal form as she followed. Hikaru trailed in with a hangdog look. Ukyo filled Ranma and Kasumi in on all of the happenings.

Ranma gave a bare description of their adventure and said, "Yoshi had a really good nose for tracking, I know. Can you and Gos follow these guys while Kas-chan and I follow in the air. I figure we don't have much time left."

"Sure Ranchan…Ranma. Come on Gosunkugi, let's get tracking." With that, they went out into the moonlight and changed. The two dogs sniffed carefully about the yard and went through the gate to the street. Ukyo cast about and found what she wanted and barked. She ran down the street, followed by Hikaru on the ground and two kauri in the air just above street light level.

The two dogs ran swiftly down the streets, dodging pedestrians and once outrunning a police officer, who promptly thought of other things to do when Ranma worked on his libido. He went to a phone and called his wife to express his feelings and asked her out for a candlelight dinner.

They turned and ran back a block when they came to the entrance of the American airbase. Ukyo and Hikaru ran into an alley as the two kauri landed in front of them. Kasumi pulled out a flashlight and shone it on the dogs, who became human immediately. "Ranchan, they went through that gate. Several of them had to have peed their pants. It was easy to follow. Can you get us inside?"

"Yeah, Ucchan. Kasumi, turn off the light and we can carry them inside." Kasumi suited actions to words and released the switch. The two kauri carried a dog each up into the night sky.

There was a flapping of wings in the shadow of a concrete building and two mongrel dogs ran out to the road and then darted back to the side to avoid a police humvee cruising past. They took off, following the trail which turned down a road to a medium sized building and a hangar, isolated at the end of an airstrip. The lack of cover made Ukyo nervous, but her and Hikaru's confidence was bolstered by a soft, "We got ya covered" and "Don't worry Ukyo, Hikaru." From above. Kasumi hovered a couple hundred feet up while Ranma went to land on the smaller building.

Inside a small room in the building, an alarm began flashing. "Hey, Lieutenant come look at this! We got wild life approaching the building."

"Jeez, those dogs are exactly like that one those spooks from group 51 took on that plane with the containment pods. They aren't even acting like dogs ought to."

Ukyo and Hikaru were crawling along, trying to be inconspicuous when a door opened in their target building. Two uniformed men came out and approached the dogs with riot control netting. When they were almost upon them, they each stared at something that only they could see. One said "Mom?" The other said, "Naw, Willy, its that Hong Kong whore I had last month, best ride of my life!" "Talk like that about Mom? I'll kill you!" The two got into a scuffle and then jerked apart and collapsed to the ground, spasming with smiles on their faces.

Ukyo's sensitive nose told her why they were smiling. 'Perverts', she thought. From above came, "Oh my. I think I need a lot more practice clouding men's minds." Ukyo could hear the blush in Kasumi's words.

Ranma, meanwhile, invoked the Umisenken and entered the door of the building. Ten minutes later, the Nerimeans were in the building looking at eleven tied up Americans. Ranma followed her instinct and walked to the one in the nondescript business suit.

Agent Spinelli looked in amazement at his beloved wife who he would sacrifice anything for. "B-But you died four years ago?" Tears were running down his cheeks and his body was wracked with sobs. "Yes my dear, dear husband. I have passed over and it is beautiful and I'm waiting for you. But evil is threatening to keep you from me and you must know that even in heaven a heart can break."

"What can I do to be by your side, don't let me go to hell." He began to sob more violently.

"Murdock has committed a grievous error and taken two families to perform atrocities against them. You must help the angels that have been sent to find them. Do well and find forgiveness. Love. I will be waiting." He felt a touch that spread joy through his being. Ethereal lips brushed his in a sweet heartbreakingly sad farewell, yet there was hope left behind. No, he would not disappoint Nell, not now, not ever.

His eyes opened to see two short red haired angels before him. A white glow surrounded them and their feathered wings were draped over their white robes. One appeared serene, but showed concern, concern for him and others, he was sure. The shorter one had an expression of concern but also hid a fire that was martial in nature. Here was an archangel fit to smite demons wherever they hid. She took a feather from her robe and gave it to him. It was pure white and felt more real than anything he had ever felt before. "This is in token as a promise of hope, it will never leave your hand and will always be there to remind you. Now help our friends."

The ki construct had been very difficult, but Ranma succeeded in using Boseiai's technique. The feather would be a part of the man's soul and he suspected that he would be very happy for the rest of his life, a better man. This was much better than torture for information and would merely make him conscious of the burdens of malicious decisions. Kasumi used the dayflash on Ukyo and Hikaru, then she and Ranma removed themselves from the awareness of the agent, but still visible to their friends.

Spinelli was looking at his hand in wonder and finally noticed the two teens in front of him. "I guess you are here to save your friends. Come with me. I can send you to where they were going, but it will take longer because they took the faster transport. I assume that you can change into dogs? They nodded. I'll put you into cages that don't have functional locks and send you in the turboprop in the hangar. They will be expecting you, but with angelic help, I pray that you will be successful." The agent used a phone for a few minutes and said, "Two pilots are coming and the plane is in constant readiness to go anywhere in the world. I'll have you situated in short order."

When he had them situated in the spacious passenger area, he told Ukyo and Hikaru in dog form, "Area 51 and Groom Lake is where my country hides its most unusual and technologically advanced secrets. Security will be very tight there. I'll pray for your success. With divine help, you will succeed." A few minutes later the pilots came on board and with a cursory look at the cabin, went forward to the cockpit. Ten minutes later the turboprop plane took to the skies toward the east.

07-04-05

* * *

Ranko :Thanks for the positive review 

Dragon Man 180:Even though Ranma will be pissed, she/he will have new 'soft kill' techniques that will allow justice to be dispensed according to the crime.

Trugeta : Its time that Ranma had an unassailable 'fortress of solitude', and yes, they did get blindsided because it took a while to finish business at Boseiai's shrine.

Conspiracies and evil black budget government agencies, while common in fiction, make for an occasional interesting conflict that doesn't necessarily have clear cut boundaries. Look at the so called 'war' on terrorism.

To me, Taro is an arrogant bastard who is as big a mysogynist as Genma…without the fear of a wife's retribution to act as a governor on his actions. He could very well be a rapist unless sufficiently deterred.

Wonderbee31 The men in black are from a sub organization, based at Area 51 that is interested in studying human potential to maintain US superiority in all things and their attitude suggests that foreigners are cattle to be harvested and destroyed when their usefulness is at end.

Boseiai is being allowed to bring a new species into existence, once the setup is done she must take a hands off attitude to allow self determination.


	10. Illegitimus non tatum corundum

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

P.S. Don't own Tenchi either.

On The Other Hand, You Have Different Fingers.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 4: Illegitimus non tatum corundum

* * *

Nabiki moved undetected through the corridors of the installation. She was positive that it was somewhere in the US because of the language, dry air and uniforms. She needed much more info, though, so she explored the corridors and walls, listening to conversations and reading open material at unoccupied desks. Her father and Ranma's mother had been in cells near her own and she left them there, just memorizing the location. While there were quite a few people working here…and it appeared to be a mix of civilian and military, there were large areas above and belowground that seemed unoccupied. Her fellow rats had seemed to have gained access to it all, even the clean and shiny refurbished sections. All of the doors had a two inch gap at the bottom and this was a blind spot she exploited with abandon. 

Genma was discovered as she passed through the hospital section. She watched as they discussed the transformation of micro flora in the gut from human to panda. Nabiki gave a rat smirk as they gave the fat man a really large enema, collected samples, then repeated the procedure after applying cold water. 'Too bad he's sedated. Hope he feels it when he wakes up.' She thought. 'Maybe I can get the computer files on their research before we leave.' She went on, leaving Genma at the tender mercies of the researchers.

Nabiki found Akane and Yoshi together in a lab. They were huddled in a corner cage with nothing but straw to lay in and no more sanitary facilities than she'd had herself. She saw three cameras on the cage and listened in on the conversation between two techs and a military type.

Military guy said, "Okay, you say water hasn't triggered any changes. However, we have on camera that these subjects changed shape repeatedly. We need to know how they are doing this and soon. National security demands that we understand and control this ability, what if some terrorist were able to change into a poisonous snake and bite the president." 'Not to mention, we'd be able to take out all the competition and make the world safe for democracy and never worry about losing our majority in congress or the presidency.'

Tech one responded, "We plan to run a full scale of analysis on the subjects over the next few days, switching to more invasive procedures in four days, when you get a couple of japanese translators for the direct brain stimulation procedures. I feel that it would be nice to have the subjects verbal reactions before the electrodes degrade the mental capacity of the girl, if that is what she is, Colonel Murdock."

Tech two interjected, "All normal human subjects lasted about an hour before going into convulsions, followed by a coma under the intense brain probes."

Murdock then said, "Well then, when you're done probing her, she won't mind a live autopsy." He said with a grin. "By the way the Japanese translator that has been cleared for your use will be here as soon as the president finishes his visit to Tokyo." Nabiki etched this man's face into her memory for either pain application or avoidance. She left knowing that she had maybe three days to figure something out. If she were human, Nabiki knew she would be on the verge of a breakdown. She continued her careful exploration of the facility.

* * *

Nabiki was checking out a receiving bay when a high security convoy showed up. Curious as to what would cause this level of activity, she watched the proceedings from an HVAC register. A number of 'suits' stood by as a small, cerulean blue haired girl with long ponytails stepped out of the van, cuffed but holding a strange rabbit like creature to her chest. Though disappointed that it wasn't Ranma, her heart went out to the little girl and she determined to find out why they would treat someone like that. 

Her ears and nose followed the party to the holding cell for the little girl. She had been out for nearly a day and wondered why they hadn't put out more of an alarm than they had when they found her to be missing. To be as paranoid as they were, these gaijins were sure missing the boat, unless they were sure that no one could survive an escape. Nabiki waited for the people to leave, chewing through the camera cables inside the walls while she waited, and implemented a plan of opportunity.

The mercenary girl was glad that she understood english and the kidnappers didn't understand Japanese, yet. She overheard the girl talking to her companion in Japanese and got the feeling from the conversation that it was more than a pet. "…Ryo Ohki, I'm sure that Washu will find us somehow and just because I can't feel Tsunami and you can't hear Ryoko doesn't mean that we'll never see them again." "Miya!" the creature said in a plaintive tone.

Nabiki went to get her 'partner'. A few minutes later she was herding a juvenile rat into the room and boxed it into a corner. She mashed the flash switch on a bolt sticking up from the concrete floor. On the third try she succeeded and quickly grabbed the rat by the scruff. Finger to lips Nabiki whispered. "Hey kid, I'm here to help you." The girl came over and took Nabiki into a hug. "I'm Nabiki, I gather that's Ryo Ohki, and you are…?"

"Oh, right, I'm Sasami, second princess of Jurai. Ryo Ohki is Ryoko's cabbit ship and we were travelling home when a naked singularity pulled us in. It left us here on earth, but we couldn't contact our family. Its like they were never here."

The young girl started crying and Nabiki tenderly grasped her and said, "I don't understand everything you've talked of, but I and my family will do our best to help."

"Well, Ryo Ohki had to crash land and was damaged. It will be a while before she finishes repairing herself. Otherwise we could fly away."

"Sasami, we don't have time. There are some very bad people here as well as people just following orders. I can get you two out, but you will be changed for the rest of your lives. You see, I can change into whatever living thing I touch if I'm exposed to the right light and my little friend here is how we'll get out of here. You will be able to change too, and eventually have good control of it, but I have to get you out of here pretty quickly. For this to work, I have to bite you enough to draw blood. Are you willing to join the ranks of the were people?"

"I just want to get away from here and you seem really nice. I don't think that you would do anything to deliberately hurt me."

"Okay, I have to bite both of you enough to draw blood and then change you. First…" She took the rat and gave it to the little cabbit. "Hold onto this guy, he's important to us." The cabbit held the rat gently in her forepaws. She took the blue haired girl's hand and strobed the were flash.

Sasami gasped, looking at herself looking back. Nabiki took Sasami's hand to her mouth and raised an eyebrow. The girl nodded and Nabiki bit with a canine just enough to break the girl's skin. Nabiki strobed the dayflash and repeated the process with the cabbit while Sasami held the rat.

"Okay, we're ready, Sasami, hold the rat." Nabiki removed the wereflash and carefully strobed it against the little girl's skin. She grabbed the rat and released it. "Ryo Ohki, hold Sasami for a bit." The cabbit held the little rat girl and shrank to join her on the floor. Placing the button back to her stomach, Nabiki said, "Now its my turn, just follow me and watch out for the people." The two rats nodded as Nabiki touched Sasami and strobed herself.

They hurried to where Akane and Yoshi were being held, traveling through walls and ducts. Nabiki was glad to be doing something to get free, finally, but she wished that Ranma were here. There was an entrance to the cage that held Yoshi and Akane that was hidden by the straw. Peeking out, Nabiki was angered again by how these people were treating them like animals, however, she put those feelings away. Daylight was only a few hours away and they needed to be well away before that happened.

Nabiki crept out and with a greater effort strobed the dayflash, recovering her human form. "Nabiki, where? How?" queried a tired Akane."

"Shush. We're trying to get out." Nabiki took Sasami and placed her on Yoshi's back and quickly used the wereflash on the dog. She then handed Yoshi to Akane. "Just follow my lead…"

At that point a tech walked into the lab with a number of instruments. In English, she spoke, "What's going on, how did you get in here?" Nabiki replied in the same language, "What you think? You kidnap us and take us from home country. We not animals." She wereflashed Akane and picked up Yoshi after replacing the were flash on her tummy. "We go now. You not stop us." The woman ran to the cage and began to sort through her keys until she noticed that no one was left in the cage.

* * *

Nabiki, Sasami, Ryo Ohki and Akane herded Yoshi as fast as they could to Nodoka's cell. Nabiki strobed herself quickly, showing the benefits of practice. Nodoka ran over to Nabiki and glomped her. "Oh dear, I was so worried about you, have you seen the others?" 

"Everyone's fine for now Auntie." Nabiki took the dayflash and said, "Come on out now." And strobed the four rats. Akane grabbed Nabiki in a tearful hug and Yoshi bounced around. Sasami picked up Ryo Ohki and watched the reunion with tears filling her eyes.

Nodoka saw Sasami's tears from across the room and rushed to hug the girl to comfort her. The cabbit was caught by surprise and bit Nodoka on the wrist in defense of the princess. Ranma's mother let go and saw the cabbit, "I'm sorry little one, I just wanted to comfort your mistress." Nabiki went to Nodoka and looked at her bleeding wrist and at the cabbit, who looked abashed at her own loss of control.

"Uhh. Auntie, I hope that you're open minded to this but Ryo Ohki, there, is now a were and thanks to that bite, so are you. I'm sorry, but this has gotten so out of control." Nodoka blink blinked for a few moments and collapsed as her mind reset. Nabiki caught her auntie and placed her on the cot. As she leaned against the wall, she wondered again as to why there was no great hue and cry of people in the labyrinth searching for the missing shapeshifters.

It was at that moment that a wave of 'something' passed through the now crowded cell. Nabiki's hair stood straight out 'everywhere on her body and the wereflash on her tummy popped and got hot. The light bulb and camera blew out, plunging everything into darkness. She reached under her shirt and tossed it, the battery catching fire providing a dying light. Ryo Ohki let out a pained "MIYAAAAA!" Shaking, she looked and saw that everyone's hair had acted the same. Immediately following this, a krrump was felt more than heard and dust shook out through cracks in the ceiling and walls. Nabiki quickly tore a strip from the cot's mattress and carefully lit it on the dying ember that had been the wereflash's battery. Nabiki ruefully said, "Well folks, there went our easy ticket out of here. On the good side, I'm willing to bet that Ranma is here.

Sasami was cradling the cabbit, which seemed to be recovering fairly quickly. She began to speak, "Nabiki, that was a fairly strong electromagnetic pulse. It probably destroyed everything electronic in the whole place."

"I think you're right Sasami. Akane, how are you feeling?"

"I'm about ready to kick some pervert butt. Those drugs they used on me left me feeling sick, but I'm getting better."

"Why don't you open the door for us then."

"Sure thing sis, here goes." Akane approached the door and manifested a really huge mallet and cried out "Pervert CRUSHER!" and virtually disintegrated the door. Everyone sweatdropped at the appearance of such a display of 'righteous' retribution. Then Nabiki realized that the wind of the attack had blown out her makeshift torch.

"Way to go, little sis. I hope that you can keep glowing, otherwise we'll be stumbling around in the dark."

Akane winked out, bringing darkness. After a few seconds her aura returned, looking like red and yellow flames rolling off of her with bits of dust flashing as the motes incinerated on contact with the glow. Nabiki broke off the legs of the cot and wrapped mattress fabric around each. Jamming one into the flaring aura brought back the improvised light source. Akane winked out again, panting from the effort to maintain the aura without adrenaline.

Nabiki took the lead again. "Akane, please get Auntie and bring her until she wakes up. We're going to Daddy's cell. If Ranma's here, I want all of us to be together. 'Uncle Saotome can just find his own way.' The middle Tendo left to get her father as the rest of the group followed.

* * *

The plane had begun its final approach to the airstrip that the US government denied the existence of. The pilot and copilot were going through their routine as their passengers got prepared. The sun had gone down earlier and as dark and the nearly full moon had taken over the skies four kauri checked to make sure of the crew's unwavering loyalty. There were now about four hours till dawn. Ranma felt a little guilt at manipulating the two men, but, until the family was rescued, it was war. 

The pigtailed martial artist turned Kauri was in male form for the operation. Gos, Ukyo and Kasumi were enough to immobilize a battalion of men and he could handle the women, though he was thankful that physical contact was not required. "Okay, these guys say that the whole place is monitored by electronics and most doors are controlled by computers. I think that once we get inta the heart of it, I'll use a technique I made ta blind Nabiki's spy cameras, I just won't hold back."

"Okay sugar, when we find them What next?"

"From what I can sense from here, there are several ki presences down there with the were 'hook'. As long as Kas-chan's flashlights work, a bunch of kauri can carry th' others ta some place safe. I'll let Nabiki figure out how ta get us home."

The plane settled down on a surprisingly smooth runway and taxied toward a fairly large hangar that opened up to reveal at least thirty soldiers with their weapons ready. Ranma spoke, "Get down, when I say it knock out everyone that ya can reach."

The plane pulled in and two men ran out and chocked the wheels and placed a ramp to the cargo door. As the door began to open, they heard a shout in Japanese, and the soldiers began dropping their weapons and groaning in what sounded like pleasure. A couple developed nosebleeds and then all were unconscious after a couple of minutes. The kauri finished opening the door and calmly walked as a group to the elevator in the corner knowing that whoever was watching the cameras would be preparing a 'surprise' where it exited.

To say that Colonel Murdock was aggravated would have been an understatement as big as saying the sun's surface was just hot. "Those…those humanoid…butterflies must have taken out the squad with gas. Get reinforcements over there with anti-Cs and masks. I want them taken down!" The squad that had been waiting for them at the elevator's exit got the same treatment as the ones in the hangar. As they exited the elevator and walked toward the control center, Ranma spotted two soldiers that weren't unconscious but wrapped in a liplock that would require a crowbar to break. Ranma finished putting them into happy dreamland while pondering a thought one of them sent to him, unknowingly, 'Don't ask, don't tell…whatta they mean by that?'

They met Colonel Murdock's special squad and 'gassed' them in spite of their protection. By now the colonel's untrained battle aura was almost visible and Ranma's ki senses picked up the individual responsible for kidnapping his family. His head snapped like a compass toward Murdock and the control room. He looked at a camera and smirked, "Kas-chan, make sure the flash lights are in subspace and everyone back up."

Murdock watched the fairy on the monitor look up at him and point cupped hands to the side. He saw a large spinning blue ball of energy form. The ball compressed down to the size of a marble and shot out. The monitor shook and a foot wide section of the four foot thick, reinforced concrete wall surrounding the control room disintegrated. "What the hell!" he said with genuine fright.

Ranma said, "Now to take this place 'off line'!" He began to draw ki from his environment. His fingers spread and lightnings began to dance between the walls and his fingers and wings. His arms came around to a position parallel to each other and in line with his previous blast. Ranma's bare feet left the floor and his wings spread to their maximum reach and he appeared to be suspended in a huge vibrating corona ball. "SAOTOME ULTIMATE MAGNETIC WAVE" was heard and it all winked out. They saw Ranma laying on the floor. As Kasumi went to pick him up, he jumped up on his own and said, "RUN" and lead them off toward where he knew that the kidnappees were being held. They felt an increasing vibration in the floor, and Ranma blasted doors and walls that got in his way to get further from the epicenter of what he knew was going to be one 'nasty' low frequency pulse matching the electromagnetic storm that was coming.

They were almost to their goal when the pulses returned after bouncing off a thermocline in the earth's mantle. The whole installation shook and everything in the same dimensional space that depended on electricity shorted out and literally fried in the bubbling insulation. The smell of cooked electronics in the control room was a minor irritation next to what the low frequency pulses were doing to the human digestive systems. Murdock felt as if the tube of his digestive tract were being squeezed like a tube of tooth paste. He soiled his pants until the sour smell told him that the contents of his stomach were being forced past his anal sphincter. He began to add his screams to those of every one within three hundred feet of ground zero. The magnetic anomaly only went out for several miles because Ranma focused it tightly, otherwise, he could have taken out the entire western US.

The group stopped to rest around Ranma whose blue aura lit up the darkness. He addressed the group while he replenished his ki, "They're all okay about two walls that way. I just gotta rest a little bit."

Ten minutes later, Ranma faced the wall and spoke, "breaking point revised…talcum pile" as he touched the wall, which dissolved into a dust pile. Two walls later they were greeted by Nabiki's group standing outside Soun's cell. Nabiki looked over the four kauri standing before her and said with a wry smile, "Saotome, what took you so long?"

Everyone watched Ranma's facefault with interest.

While Ranma was pulling himself from the floor, Akane had smashed the door in to Soun's cell. Nodoka who had awakened a bit earlier glomped the pigtailed kauri and just as quickly let go and backed up to a wall, fanning herself. "Ohhh my! My son is too manly. Oh my!"

Ranma rubbed the back of his pigtail, "Sorry Mom, I'm tryin ta hold it in."

A shaking Nabiki pulled a glass of water from somewhere and splashed him and visibly relaxed as a female kauri stood there, pouting. Soun chose this moment to awaken and looking around wailed, "My children are turning into oni, the houses will never be joined. WAAAAAHHH!" He hosed down everyone within five feet.

Ranma then looked over the crowd and said, "Well, Looks like the were is alive and well." He pointed. "Akane, Nabiki, Yoshi you naughty dog, Mom, this 'Rabbit?" "Miyah." "Augh! Please don't make that noise." He said from the ceiling. "Ryo Ohki is a cabbit and my name's Sasami." The girl picked up the cabbit and bowed to Ranma as she dropped from the ceiling.

"Pleased to meetcha Sasami, I'm Ranma, this is Kasumi…Ukyo and Gosunkugi Hikaru. How would everyone like ta get outta here?" After a number of nods, "Well, everyone that is were take Kasumi's, Ukyo's or Gos' hand and step back ta the wall."

Ranma stood in the center of the room and raised her hands above her head and shouted "Moko Takabisha revised Matter shunt." A blue ten foot disk of energy appeared under the ceiling which disappeared, leaving behind a neat cookie cutter hole to the surface at the right angle to let the early morning (or very late night) moonlight in. "Okaay, now come forward into the moonlight." Ten kauri and Soun stood under the stars and freedom. Ten kauri flew out into the desert. Hikaru lagging just a bit because she was delegated by Ukyo to carry Soun. Ranma had a thought, 'Pops is still back there. He'll be alright. He's worse than a cockroach. We need a month or two vacation from him anyway."

* * *

In a lab, a panda slowly revived as the IV pumps had quit during the EMP. He groaned or growfed as he jerked the tubes and probes from his hide and one body orifice. He saw the people around him staring by candle light and remembered being caught. He disappeared as he invoked the Umisenken.

* * *

A/N 

Not a lot of reviews, but I sincerely appreciate those that do…review. I will keep writing as I have been, because there wouldn't be anything on FFN if no one contributed, sort of like voting.

P.S. Sorry, Gerald, so tired when i finished the chapter, posted on automatic.

Wonderbee31 Yeah, Taro will be sorry but unhurt if he runs into Ranma again

RubberNeck Thanks for the support

Trugeta I consider chapter ten to be Nabiki's chapter and I consider bloodshed a poor last alternative reserved for true and absolute evil. After this chapter, things will revolve around Sasami and Ryo Ohki finding a way home and the status of Nodoka's unborn twins.

Dragon Man 180 What they do is direct stimulation of the sexual pleasure centers and production of powerful pheromones. Nabiki is a heroine of the background. Attention is a liability, but she will do what she has to for her family and I think that she would follow the martial artist's code of honor. She has to be at least a first dan black belt being in that family.


	11. Thumbing a ride home

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

P.S. Don't own Tenchi either.

Eagles May Soar, But Weasels Do Not Get Sucked Into Jet Engines.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

Chapter 5: Thumbing a ride home

Ten kauri flew out into the desert. Hikaru lagging just a bit because she was delegated by Ukyo to carry Soun. Ranma had a thought, 'Pops is still back there. He'll be alright. He's worse than a cockroach. We need a month or two vacation from him anyway."

The group was flying southwest when they saw a group of RVs parked in a clump of trees. Some people were on a ridge overlooking the wash and were looking straight at them with some binocular like accessories. Ranma gave a sigh, 'Maybe these people aren't like those bastards we left back there.' "Let's check em out, if they ain't friendly, we can keep goin a while longer before daybreak." The group landed a few yards from the watchers.

Nabiki said, "Ranma. Let me handle this I can speak with them."

* * *

The watchers were observing the skies over Area 51 as they and other conspiracy theorists had for several years. The government would sometimes chase them off, but they kept coming back to this spot. Eddy shouted "Eyes front!" They all watched as a sparkly column rose into the sky that vanished and the stars rippled behind the now invisible column as in a heat shimmer. They watched a wave front cross the desert and felt the hairs on their bodies stand up as the screens in their night scopes and cameras wobbled and slowly turned back to normal. Ken, the technology guru of the bunch said, "Boys that was an honest to god EMP, electromagnetic pulse. If I were betting, I'd say that the place is under attack. This may be the break through that we've been waiting for." 

The nominal leader, Jim, said, "Okay. Cameras rolling and set up the beacon. If this is finally alien activity, we want them to know that some of us are open to friendly communications."

Almost an hour later the group saw some flying figures to the northeast. "Jim, Ken, do you think that this is the real thing?" asked Eddy.

"I don't know, but when they get close, smile without showing too much teeth. Damn, they look like fairies and one appears to be carrying a man! They've spotted us. Here they come." The fairies rapidly glided in and landed a few yards from the alien watchers. Two of the fairies spoke to each other and began to approach them.

Nabiki decided on a friendly approach, "Please excuse us, does any you speak Japanese?" Heads shook no. "Can you tell us where are?"

Jim said, "You're about thirty miles south west of Groom lake in Nevadain the United States."

"We need place to hide from men who…steal us from home until can plan get back. Not want fight miritary."

"Sure, you can stay. That big RV over there should hold all of you. Can you tell us where you are from and…what you are?"

Nabiki sighed, "All from Japan, my name Nabiki, this Ranma. This form is kauri, you might say fairy. Forms change when daylight come. Moon has set." In Japanese, "Kasumi do you have those flashes I gave you? Ranma destroyed mine with that EMP." Kasumi fluttered over and handed them to her, "Sis, you need to learn how to use subspace pockets for security and to protect the equipment."

The Americans were stunned when several of the ultra sexy kauri became ordinary looking Asian people. Well, they looked human, at least, except for the strange looking animal that had been a kauri and the dog. The spokesperson became a very beautiful Japanese girl, her co-leader remained kauri but flickered when the flashlight moved across her.

Jim decided that it was time to ask the burning question. "Nabiki, can you tell us what you saw in that place where you were held? Were there any space ships or real aliens?"

Nabiki stole a glance at Sasami and Ryo Ohki and snickered. "Yes person and ship from other world there. Problem is that idiot people not truly concerned with learn. Do autopsy on living people. Willing kill alien before learn. Even kill own people."

Nabiki noticed Sasami was in a deep hand sign conversation with the cabbit and then the girl ran to her with an aura of great excitement. "Nabiki! Ryo Ohki is still injured and can't become a ship for a few weeks but she thinks that Ranma's mother can! There's still time before the sun comes up."

Nabiki said, "Ranma, get your mother quick! We may be getting out of here!"

Ranma brought her mother to the three while everyone gathered around. The Americans were watching in some confusion. "Auntie you know that the cabbit bit you." Nodoka nodded. "Well, that happens to be your default were form now. You can become a living spaceship and take us all home!"

"Oh my! Do you really think so?"

"There's only one way to find out, and we don't have much time left this morning."

"Very well, I just never imagined something like this happening. Go ahead, use that flashlight." Nabiki held the light to the woman's hand and strobed it. Nodoka shrank down to become a reddish version of Ryo Ohki. She looked around and tried to speak, "Miyah." Ranma leapt into the air and fluttered there.

"M-M-Mom please don't talk. You s-s-sound like one of them c-c-cats. Please."

'Damn you Genma, why did you have to train Ranma in the nekoken?'

Sasami spoke, "Lady Nodoka, you should be able to change to a more adult cabbit form and may be able to talk. Right now, please try to become a ship."

Nodoka thought, 'How do I do that?'

'Just jump as high as you can and think of yourself looking like this.' An image of a great crystalline ship appeared in her mind.

'is that you? Ryo Ohki?'

'Yes, but please hurry and when you do, think about setting the micrometeorite field to filter all ultra violet radiation. That way you won't change back unless you want to.'

'I suppose I can only try.' Nodoka leapt into the air and kept going for a couple hundred feet and began to change. She became a crystal mass that kept growing until she became a large ship with crystal spires that struck out in different directions.

'Yay! You did it. Now adjust your shielding and enable electronic stealth mode.'

Meanwhile, everyone but the cabbit and Sasami looked stunned at the huge biotechnological marvel that was now Nodoka. Jim stared and spoke to Nabiki, "Nabiki, m'am, do you think that I could go with you? I'll do everything I can to keep these people from bothering you in the future."

The mercenary girl had a thought and it revolved around making yen. "Okay, but it may cost you. We make business deal and will require you and your friends be silent. Not tell anyone. Talk detail later. Okay?" Switching to Japanese, "Sasami we need to get to Auntie, how do we do that?"

Sasami turned to the cabbit, who, understanding nodded. The Nerimans began to float and disappear. A few seconds later, Jim Baxter floated up. "Eddy, keep the deal, I'll be back."

The conspiracy theorists, now true believers, watched the ship that was Nodoka majestically turn and begin to glow. She started moving up faster and faster, disappearing with a twinkle in the sky. Multiple sonic booms announced the government fighter jets that missed the event and couldn't have followed without many jumps in technology.

With Ryo Ohki's coaching, Nodoka took up a mid-level earth orbit and checked on the welfare of her passengers. Then she made a discovery, her twin babies had transformed with her and two cabbit eggs rested in her center, constantly being monitored and fed nutrients, phased in and removing wastes the same way. 'My babies, what will happen to you?'

'Lady Nodoka, I think that they will be fine. They obviously transform when you do and they may be just like you when they are born. It can't be helped, so just do the best you can for them. Now, please allow me access to the navigational data, my princess misses home and her link to the goddess of Jurai, Tsunami.'

'Of course, little one. While you do that I think that I'll have some fun.'

The passengers had gathered in the center of the dome and rested on the couches that were arranged in a semicircle before a large monitor that appeared to be made of crystal with Nodoka's image on the screen. Ranma's mother de-opaqued the dome and the blackness of space overwhelmed everyone. "Ranma, I think that I'm going to check out what I can do while Ryo Ohki and I work out a way to return Sasami to her home. Do you mind if we make a side trip? Do a little exploring?"

"No mom, it looks like we owe them. Mom, ya got ta be the most amazin' thing in my life takin all this in stride, like ya are."

"A cabbit ship is designed to be inherently stable and safe. Oh, and very powerful. Now hang on." Though there was no physical sense of movement, the scenery began to move around violently and a large ringed world came 'screaming' into the foreground. They passed through the rings and dipped into Saturn's upper atmosphere leaving a ten thousand mile long trail of ionized gasses glowing behind.

While she entertained her passengers and prepared a meal, Nodoka was also busy going over navigational data with Ryo Ohki. Their difficulty lay in the fact that she could not detect the singularity that Ryo Ohki had exited from. Indications were that it probably had an event horizon of only a few centimeters. Lodged in a planets center it could swallow the entire planet, but it would take eons to do it because it was like sucking up an ocean with a straw. It had momentarily expanded enough for the cabbit to exit because Ryo Ohki's mass was almost infinite due to her speed. Still, her outer spires had been sheared off and sucked back in. Once they found it, they would have to get a run to build up the mass necessary to open the singularity and hit it dead center with a pellet of nearly infinitely massive antimatter a ten thousandth of a second before Nodoka entered. It appeared easy enough. Nodoka then decided that her son would make the perfect sensor array to find the singularity and being fully powered, Ryo Ohki's problems shouldn't happen. Returning wouldn't be a problem, knowing what to expect.

The first indication that her passengers had that something was happening was Saturn shrinking to a dot. Nodoka appeared on screen and said, "Ranma, I'm so glad to see that you can return to your birth form." Ranma and Kasumi had been sitting on a couch holding hands, something Nodoka saw and secretly crowed about. "I've got a meal made." A large table loaded with food rose from the floor. As everyone gathered to eat, she continued, "Ryo Ohki and I have calculated how to return her and Sasami to their home universe, but I'll need your help, son."

"Sure Mom, whatcha need?" Munch-munch-munch.

"I saw you practicing ki techniques and you made a ki shield. We need for you to make one extremely thin and about two light minutes in diameter. I can sense the shield and the singularity that I'm looking for will make a hole or void in the shield that I'll be able to detect."

Ranma appeared, suited ahead of his mother's line of travel and prepared to create an ultra thin ki shield that would regenerate with the energy gained from striking solid objects. He brought his ki up and focused it into a thick shield in front of himself and started it spinning. As it spun, the round shield began to expand and attenuate. Thirty minutes later the shield was invisible, still there and still expanding. So far, several dust grains had impacted the ki construct rather spectacularly and lent their stored energy to its maintenance. 'Son, that is large enough, just maintain what you have.'

Almost two hours later Ranma's mother told him, 'You can relax, Ranma, I have a lock on it.' She retrieved her son and appeared as a hologram to her passengers. "I just wanted to announce that Ryo Ohki and I, with Ranma's help, have found the portal to Sasami's home universe. I'm taking them home. Does anyone object to this?" Only Hikaru raised his hand, then dropped it at the looks that Ukyo and Nabiki gave him. "This will take a few minutes, I need to have a couple of solar system diameters to accelerate." Outside the dome the stars became streaks and began to shift colors. A few minutes later Nodoka announced, "Prepare for maximum acceleration and breach of the event horizon." The stars swung wildly for a moment and became blurs as the ship accelerated. She launched the antineutronium missile and followed it across the event horizon.

Everything outside the environment dome became black, except for a line of light which seemed to be the track of the collapsed star component of the missile. They broke through into a space that looked as large as a galaxy. It resolved itself into what appeared to be nothing more than an enormous, cluttered room with a human shaped being in it that appeared to Nodoka's instrumentation to be larger than the Magellanic Clouds. There appeared to be tremendous pizza boxes that said in english Dominicks Pizza. The giant appeared to be typing, with two fingers, on an old computer, the screen covered with an alien script. The giant looked up and seemed to notice the insignificant ship passing by and smiled benevolently as they crossed the 'room'. The ship that was Nodoka passed through the far wall and the blackness returned. Ship and passengers recovered from their awe. Some of them wondered if that pudgy looking troll was the creator of the universes, then thought, "Naw, can't be…"

Suddenly, they were in space, tearing across the heavens. Nodoka brought herself to a stop to get her bearings.

Sasami shouted, "Tsunami!" and began to cry and hug everyone.

The cabbit cried happily. "Miyah!"

Ranma jumped and clung to the dome's smooth inner surface far above the other passengers.

* * *

7-13-05 

Trugeta: I thought it might be fun to have a little side trip to the tenchi universe might be fun. I tried to briefly explain the cross universe transition and, yes, you guessed why they lost contact. I bypassed the army and government with Nodoka's fortuitous acquisition of the werecabbit form. Colonel Murdock may show up later like poison ivy toilet paper.

Ranko: Thanks for reviewing. I know I move the action rather fast, but I'm not a speedy typist and want to reach point 'B' in the chapter which some may feel makes it more like a synopsis. For which I apologize.

Steve: Maybe it isn't the best plot device, but I sorta feel that some in the govt. think that perceived capability equals intent. Look at Iraq and the WMD issue. Sure, Saddam's out, but look at the mess. They may not be in Nerima yet, but they are sure not in the US.

Deus-Ex-Machina:Thanks for the positive feedback.

RubberNeck: I'm still working out how long they will be in the Tenchi universe, but it should be a while yet. I've decided that I do like Nodoka in space and what opportunities to encourage 'grandchildren' activities!

Dragon Man 180: Ranma and co. took a much slower transport and timed it to show up well after dark. The EMP that Ranma created coincided with Nabiki's flashes and the lights burning out. Yes, Nodoka is a fully capable and mature cabbit as expressed in this chapter and I'll take your suggestions seriously.

Wonderbee31: I reallly like your comments and hope that I can keep writing satisfactorily. Yes to the different dimension/universe thought. Genma should have fallen into the 'spring of drowned stubborn ass' or 'stubborn mule'. Soun needs a wake up call or a brain upgrade transplant, say…rhesus monkey?


	12. Tenchi's Daughter

I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's or Jack Chalker's works. They are just borrowed.

P.S. Don't own Tenchi either.

**Ranma of the Dancing Gods**

**Chapter 6: Tenchi's daughter**

Suddenly, they were in space, tearing across the heavens. Nodoka brought herself to a stop to get her bearings.

Sasami shouted, "Tsunami!" and began to cry and hug everyone.

The cabbit cried happily. "Miyah!"

Ranma jumped and clung to the dome's smooth inner surface far above the other passengers.

"Lady Nodoka, Ranma, everyone, thank you for bringing us home!" shouted an ecstatic Sasami.

Nodoka announced, "We'll be arriving at your brother's shrine about three hours, Sasami. I regret to say that there are some problems. Ranma, Kasumi, Nabiki, please go to the aft conference room."

* * *

Washu was upset, Ayeka had run off to try to bring back Mayuka and had been stolen away to the World of Darkness. Sasami and Ryo Ohki were still missing and the situation was deteriorating. The power of Jurai was limited in the dark realm and the children had little chance of success fighting the demon Yuzuha in her own element. Tsunami was weak and on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to the loss of her connection to Sasami. Her sister would be of small help for this challenge. Suddenly, light blazed out of the mirror that she and Tsunami used to communicate. "Sasami's back!" Her sister shouted, "and she may have brought help!" 

Ryoko was venting her frustration by throwing red fireballs into the lake. Her and Ayeka had fought constantly for Tenchi's affection, but she had come to care for the arrogant princess and had begun to hope that the Juraian prince might love them both. She just hadn't been able to show open affection for the princess and now, she might never be able to. And, Tenchi, her kind Tenchi had slapped her. She began to cry. 'What's the matter Ryoko?' spoke a voice in her mind.

'R-Ryo Ohki? Ryo Ohki!'

* * *

Male Ranma and Kasumi were holding hands and looking into each other's eyes at the table in the conference room while Nabiki was decidedly uncomfortable. Nodoka's hologram appeared with that 'grandmotherly' smile on her face. "Son, Kasumi, we need to have a long talk soon about relationships and what is now your carnal nature, but not now. You three are the leaders of this group that we have acquired and Sasami's family needs our help. It seems that a boy has similar problems to yours and one of his suitors has been kidnapped by a demon who was jilted by his grandfather, at least that's my general impression. I've analyzed the situation with the help of Washu, sister to the goddess that Sasami is bonded to, and we've decided that you may be the only one who can ensure Tenchi's success. Tenchi is the boy that Ayeka is enamored of." Nodoka briefed them on who the rest of the residents were and of what Washu had planned. 

Ranma and Kasumi went to the suite that Nodoka told them was theirs as Ranma's mother informed the rest of the group about what was to happen. "Kas-chan, ya know, we haven't had much time ta ourselves since we left Irori and Boseiai-sama, but I decided that since Mom said that Sasami's brother is a priest an all…ya know…would la like ta…maybe after we beat this demon?" Ranma's eyes were trying to tell Kasumi what he couldn't put into words.

"Why Ranma, what ever are you trying to say?"

"Kas-chan, I ain't good with words ya know. What I'm tryin ta say is…I-I love ya an since all our family is here, ya know, what if we was ta get m-m-mar-mar…hitched before we go home?

Kasumi started to tear up and pulled the pigtailed boy into a hug and whispered into his ear, "I tried to love you as a little brother, ever since Nabiki and I made the mistake of pushing you off on Akane. You're so sweet. I admit it now, I was jealous and wanted you for my own. I know that for our own health and sanity we will have to share the carnal aspects of our life with many in order to help them, but yes, I'll gladly marry you. I want you to be my first."

Ranma blushed as he realized that he'd have to do 'that' with men and women both, but Boseiai had spent a lot of time explaining it to him. He returned her hug and quietly wept into her hair, "Kas-chan, my…my spirit belongs to you forever."

* * *

All of Nodoka's passengers were gathered on the bridge, under the large environmental dome. "Okay, everyone. Thanks to Nabiki and Ryo Ohki, I have been able to synthesize some of what Nabiki dubbed 'were suits'. They will follow through your changes, unless your alternate form is too far from the human norm. In that case, the suit shifts to subspace. The lining emits polarized light or 'daylight', enough to override any ambient light, so you don't have to worry about unexpected changes. There are suits for everyone with were capabilities." A container rose from the floor and opened up to expose the uniforms. Each had the name of the intended wearer on the collar. "The suits are keyed to each of you, just say 'change' or 'return' to switch to polarized light or back to daylight. Ranma, take my suit and keep it for me, please." The 'crew' took their uniforms and went to their staterooms and quickly changed into them. 

Once they had all returned to the bridge, Nabiki spoke, "Listen up everyone, we have a job to do. We are going to help Sasami's family and I want us to be in the most effective forms we can have." She walked to Ranma and placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Change." The two stared at each other for a moment, smirking identically. "Ranma, Kasumi, take your alternate forms." Two kauri appeared in their places after they gave the commands.

Nabiki-Ranma smirked as Hikaru took Akane's form, 'That little pervert!' Akane just malleted her double as she realized what he…she had done. She walked over to Kasumi and changed to a carbon copy of her sister. "I don't want to be mistaken for that twerp! He had better not do anything perverted with my body!"

Nabiki spoke up, "Okay, we're about to meet Sasami's family." Everyone looked out the dome as atmosphere began to glow from the friction of Nodoka's passage. She turned so that everyone could see the island of Japan of this world rapidly grow in their field of view.

* * *

Katsuhito, Washu, Noboyuki, Mihoshi and Kiyone were standing in the meadow between the house and the Lake, staring nervously at the sky. A trail of ionized gasses glowed red, far off in the sky. Shortly a series of booms shattered the silence and a warm wind seemed to come off of the lake. Washu gasped as a behemoth, larger than anything but the Throne or Tsunami herself wavered into existence in front of her eyes. The ship that was Nodoka continued to waver and pop and sing as the heat of atmospheric passage was dumped to the surrounding air. When Washu thought of the comparison to Ryo Ohki, 'Upgrades!' was all she could think. 

The passengers were disembarked by teleportation and the group caught Washu's eye by their appearance. As the other residents ran to gather up Sasami in a group hug, Washu's eye began to twitch in an effort to suppress her first instinct. 'Save Ayeka first, guinea pigs later. Later, Washu-chan.' She saw the one male of the winged beings fly up toward Nodoka and wait just below. Then the ship began to implode, shrinking to a kimono clad, female human figure that was caught by the small, winged male. As the two landed beside the others, they hugged.

Katsuhito spoke, "Let us retire to the house, we don't have much time to spare."

Washu addressed the group in the living room and explained events to the present. "…and Tenchi and Ryoko followed Ayeka to the world of darkness. Unfortunately, Ryoko's power is limited and the power of Jurai has no link there either. If someone can take one of Funaho's branches there, Tenchi should be able to use his sword."

Sasami shouted, "Funaho will give me a living branch," and ran out.

Ranma said, "Kasumi and I will go. She can carry the branch and I'll take care of anyone in the way."

A few minutes later Ranma and Kasumi were standing in the center of a circle in Washu's lab. "When your mission is complete, I'll be able to bring all of you back. Now get ready."

The ring began to rise and Ranma shouted "Owww", while Kasumi eeped. "What's the big idea!"

Washu just smiled "Just taking some samples."

"Is that somethin ya have ta do ta send us?"

"Welllll, not really."

"Hey!"

Washu threw a switch, cutting off Ranma's indignant remarks about her parentage. "Well, well, well, they're on their way." 'And I've got some samples to tide me over until I can get a sperm donation from that sexy flying boy.' "Bwah ha ha ha ha ha!" Cold chills ran down the spines of everyone present. Ryo Ohki began clawing at the exit, making pitiful meowing noises. For some reason Noboyuki and Soun had simultaneous nosebleeds and passed out. Ranma, in a room full of destroyed stuffed animals with Kasumi, began to sneeze again and again and again.

* * *

Jim Baxter woke up from a long nap in his stateroom. He looked around at his surroundings and rubbed his eyes. "Damn! Mary, mother of Jesus." he swore. his bed was still solid, but everything else had a semitransparent look to it. "I had better stay put, Maybe someone will remember me and come soon." He lay back down and tried to contemplate his situation.

End

* * *

Review responses

Dragon Man 180 The reason Ranma is there 'is' because I feel sorry for Yuzuha. If Washu tries to get the forbidden sample, she will get a lot more than she would bargain for. Ranma had his fears alleviated for a short time by Joe, they might be gone on his wedding night. The brief cameo between universes was my SI.

Dogbertcarrol-Ranma is still half human. The intermix of curses has a chaotic outcome. Meaning that I made up a lot of it, plus about twenty year old memories, though some are pretty clear. Joe did experiment, sort of in one of the books while travelling in a swap the form scouting episode. Also when he was cured of the were virus, he got it again by being frisky with his wife or lover and I thought it was hinted at that they swapped bodies more than once in their friskiness. And I hope that some of the other characters can be perceived as doing the nailing. Hopefully he is now more of a catalyst. Ch2 Yes, the curses, they do mix and Boseiai had a hand in setting the blend to frappe. Ch3 And I think Nodoka could be a descendant. Ch4 Weird? Ch5 I've admitted to a synopsis like style and if anyone wants to take it and make it their own, have at it. No SI except for a brief cameo. Ch6 almost a quote from LOTR remembered from the late 60's. Akane seems a very unstable character to me, but without the morning brawl and pressure to marry, she could be a lot nicer. Kasumi just seems be the self sacrificing type, but may need a lot of help and support, herself. She sees Ranma as someone who, when he makes a commitment, it'll be for life and then some. Ch7. Thanks, I need to go over it again to figure out what I did right. Ch8 I think Taro is a butthead, an insensitive butthead who would be like the high school jock that date rapes because its fun and he can get away with it. Nice thought about Yoshi. How about the half gallon pee pee to transform Ryoga, Mousse and Shampoo. As for the American Black Ops, willing to do ANYTHING in the name of national security. Ch9 Okay, I'll accept strange.

Ranko: Thanks for your light hearted review. I think that Nodoka and Nabiki are working up to my favorites for leadership. Nabiki's talent and Nodoka's experience.

Wonderbee31: Thanks for liking Nodoka, but a panda 'would' be useful for propagating an endangered species, though it would be better if he were a female panda.

Trugeta: Nodoka was ideal as a were-cabbit, her nature is nurture and passengers are like children to her expanded ship consciousness. The children would grow up as were cabbits as well.

Thanks for the reviews.

08 01 05

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